


The Hazards of Relaxation

by thebaddestwolf



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance, multi chapt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-16
Packaged: 2018-02-19 13:02:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2389178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebaddestwolf/pseuds/thebaddestwolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Rose try to spend a relaxing day at the beach. They fail. Fluff + tropes galore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> beta: kahki820

Rose looped her arm through the Doctor’s as they made their way along a stony path, translucent leaves overhead barely filtering the eager morning sun. He grinned at her and bumped her hip with his own before moving to take her hand, helping her down a steep section of jagged rock. 

He was finally, _finally_ , taking her on the beach holiday he’d long promised and, for once, Rose felt as if the day had absolutely no trouble in store for them. The most perilous bit of their plans involved the trek to the beach, which the Doctor said was a tiny strip of gleaming sand at the base of a tall cliff. 

He hadn’t wanted to land the TARDIS at the bottom -- something about volatile shifting tides -- but Rose figured the climb down would be a small price to pay for one full day of blissful relaxation. (Besides, the Doctor in swimming trunks was an added bonus.) 

He was wearing them now, deep blue shorts that were slightly less clingy than his trousers, though Rose hardly noticed what with the expanse of his chest on display. She tried her best not to stare while he was landing the ship, running about the console room in nothing but the trunks and his red chucks, but now that her eyes were hidden by sunglasses she couldn’t help but take him in every chance she got. 

The Doctor, who had scoffed at humans’ penchant for fashionable dark lenses and poorly functioning pupils, had nothing to hide his gaze, which drifted decidedly south of Rose’s face every so often. Each time he did she congratulated herself on having the foresight to pick up new beachwear the last time she was home -- this white and gold striped bikini stood out against her slight tan, and it looked great with the jean shorts she wore for the hike. (If the Doctor didn’t have a top on, why should she?) 

“Right!” The Doctor came to a halt so suddenly Rose nearly stumbled, and it was a good thing she didn’t. “This is the bit we have to rappel down.” 

Rose carefully took a step forward and peered over the ledge in front of them. The beach was there sure enough, but it was a long, long, _long_ way down. She swallowed. 

“You’re joking, aren’t you?” 

“Course not.” He winked at her and dug a hand deep into the pocket in his trunks, rummaging around. “Ah, here we go.” 

He pulled out a bundle of orange and black rope, a couple of carabiners, and a metal device Rose didn’t recognize, then crouched down and began peering along the edge of the rock face. 

“What are you looking for?” Rose asked, crossing her arms. “When you said the beach was at the bottom of the cliff I thought we’d, like, have to scramble down boulders or something, not bloody cliff-jump.” 

“Not jumping, Rose, _rappelling_. And I’m looking for the bolt-anchor I drilled into the rock the last time. Ah -- here it is!” 

He looped the rope through a metal ring protruding from the rock and tied some intricate knots before giving it a few tugs and nodding appreciatively. Standing, he attached the metal device to the rope, which moved along it only when he squeezed a lever. 

He then hooked one carabiner onto a thin harness Rose hadn’t even noticed him wearing. When he slid one onto the belt loop of her shorts, she backed up five paces, shaking her head. 

“No no no no no,” she said, setting her jaw and holding her hands up. “I’m not doing this without proper equipment -- how do you know the stitching on my shorts won’t rip? Don’t you have a harness for me?” 

“Well, I only had the one and you seemed eager to get here so didn’t think you’d want to stop,” he said, ducking his head and making Rose regret speaking so harshly. “But the clip on your short is just a precaution, Rose -- I’m going to hold you. Perfectly safe, promise, and we’ll be at the bottom slathering on sunblock in no time!” 

He grinned at her and held out his hand. Rose bit her lip and considered this for a moment, then took a couple steps forward and stretched out her hand to hold his. She’d trusted him with her life countless times before and he hadn’t let her down yet. 

“You won’t drop me?” she asked, as he pulled her to him. 

“Of course not,” he said, pressing her hand to his chest and reaching out with his other arm to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 

Rose blushed and took off her sunglasses to distract herself, hooking them on the string connecting the cups of her bikini. 

“Don’t want these to fall and get smashed to bits, they’re designer.” 

She smiled, tongue caught between her teeth, and lifted her chin to meet the Doctor’s gaze. He looked as though he was trying to smile back but got distracted, his eyes soft and his jaw slack. 

Rose couldn’t help but notice his bottom lip, full and shining like he’d just licked it. She wet her own at the thought and at the sight of her tongue the Doctor seemed to shake himself out of his haze, clearing his throat loudly as he dropped her hand. 

“Ready?” he asked, voice squeaking at the end. 

He cleared his throat again and set to work attaching both of their carabiners to a cable connected to the metal device, requiring Rose to stand with her hip against his. He then threw the bottom bundle of rope over the side of the cliff, a sharp whooshing sound filling the air as it unraveled on the way down. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Rose muttered, wincing as she glanced over the side. “Are there any instructions I should know about?” 

“Just lean back against me. So, ehm…” He placed a hand on her side to guide her in front of him and wrapped his left arm tightly around her waist, holding her back flush to his chest. “We’ll sort of bounce our way down, so just kick off against the rock when I do. I can control our speed with this --” He jangled the lever on the metal device. “-- so if you want to slow down or stop, just say the word. Okay?” 

Rose took a deep breath and gripped the arm anchoring her to him with both hands. 

“Okay.” 

Lowering themselves over the edge of the cliff -- backwards -- was the worst part. Rose forced herself to keep her eyes open, focusing the parchment-paper leaves on the trees above them. 

The rope creaked as the Doctor slowly eased them down and her weight shifted from her feet to rest completely against his chest. She fought to keep her breathing even, marveling at how her pulse was racing through her veins as if she were running at a sprint. 

“It’s just adrenaline,” he said quietly, breath hitting the shell of her ear. “Hard part’s over -- now for the fun bit. Are you ready?” 

Rose nodded, trying not to think about how many seconds it would take them to hit the ground should the rope snap. 

“Oh, come on, you can do better than that. Are you ready?” 

Rose laughed. “Yes, I’m ready.” 

“Well, that’s better, but I think you can top it. Rose Tyler, are you ready?” 

“I’m ready!” she yelled, giggling as her voice echoed off the side of the cliff. She could feel the Doctor’s laugh rumble through his chest. 

“Alright then!” He tightened his arm around her waist and lifted his thumb to rest on the metal lever. “On three, kick off against the rock as hard as you can. One, two, three!” 

They kicked and he squeezed the lever to lessen the device’s grip, letting their weight pull it down the rope. Gravity seemed less insistent on this planet, but Rose’s stomach dropped as they fell in spite of the floating feeling. After a few seconds their feet connected with the cliff again and the Doctor released the lever, keeping them in place. 

“That was amazing!” Rose was panting, but smiling so wide her cheeks hurt. 

“Knew you’d like it!” 

They continued making their way down toward the beach, trying to kick off stronger each time to see how many seconds they could stay airbound. The Doctor’s grip on her waist never faltered, and Rose decided she felt safer in his arms than she would with hundreds of pounds worth of climbing gear. 

After a while Rose realized she could barely see the top of the cliff where the rope was knotted, and not long later their feet hit warm sand. 

“Oh, you were brilliant,” the Doctor said, dropping the rope and wrapping both arms around her. 

“No, _that_ was brilliant.” 

Rose stroked his arms and tilted her head back to grin at him, eyes going out of focus at the proximity of his face. It was then that she realized his chest was slightly damp against her back, that one of his arms was brushing the tops of her breasts. Though it was several degrees warmer than when they stepped out of the TARDIS, she shivered. 

The Doctor’s face moved closer and Rose’s breath hitched, her eyes falling closed on their own accord. She waited to feel his lips against hers but nothing came. Her eyes fluttered opened just as he quickly kissed her temple and tightened his arms around her one last time before stepping aside to release the clips from their waists. 

Brow furrowed, he turned and gave a few elaborate tugs on the rope, nodding at Rose to take a step back as it came spiraling downward and landed on the sand with a thud. 

“Don’t we need that to get back up?” she asked, feeling confused on a variety of levels. 

“Nope,” he said, grinning and not quite meeting her eye. “You’ll see.” 

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Rose raised a teasing eyebrow in his direction, but he didn’t seem to notice. 

The Doctor wrapped the length of rope up neatly and tucked it, along with the carabiners and metal device, back in his pockets. Rose put her sunglasses on and straightened her bikini top, which had shifted at some point on their way down the cliff. She was trying to work out if she hoped the Doctor _hadn’t_ noticed or not, when she felt his fingers slide down her wrist to take her hand. 

“Now,” he said brightly. “About that relaxing beach day I promised.” 

Rose beamed at him and they set off down the shore. 

*** 

“So you’ve been here before, then?” 

Rose squinted up at him, smiling at the way the sun made his freckles stand out against his skin. 

“Yep, a few times actually,” he said, swinging their linked hands as they walked. “The Klau’kari are often rebelling about something or other, rising up against the ruling class or violently protesting the exportation of their coral stores. That’s why the sand is so shimmery, by the way -- the whole continent is ringed with a single coral wreath -- it’s just _massive_ \-- and it has some metallic properties, which makes the beaches glimmer.” 

“What do they export it for?” 

“Some neighboring planets use it for childrens craft projects. Bit like you lot use glitter.” 

“You’re joking.” She nudged his side with her elbow. 

“I’m serious! Multi-million credit business, too. That was one of the most brutal civil wars and I wound up getting involved for some reason, can’t remember why. Anyway, I’ve landed us during a peaceful stretch, long before then.” 

“Good, because I certainly don’t want to get caught up in any glitter wars.” 

Rose laughed and bent to pick up a handful of sand, tossing it into the air above them. The Doctor grinned and tugged on her hand, twirling her beneath the shimmering shower. 

“Bleh, that was a bad idea,” Rose sputtered. “Got some in my mouth.” 

She picked a fleck off her tongue as the Doctor brushed a few grains from her bottom lip. 

“Not throwing sand is beach etiquette 101, Rose.” He tutted and grabbed her hand, continuing down the beach. 

“I know, I just couldn’t resist.” She allowed him to tug her along and leaned against his side as they rounded a bend in the shore. “Do you want to go much further or shall we just lay our towels down here? The whole beach is gorg--” 

Rose stopped in her tracks, bringing the Doctor to a halt. 

As they’d turned the corner, a vibrant cliff face came into view. Unlike the plain rock they’d descended, this one was speckled with bright square dwellings built into the rocks -- dozens of wooden structures painted in a rainbow of pastels. Though they were far away, Rose could see villagers making their way from one building to another, traversing the cliff face via a network of built-in… 

“Doctor,” she said evenly. “Are those stairs?” 

“Mhm.” He tugged on his ear and didn’t meet her eyes. 

“Stairs that lead from the top of the cliff down to the sand?” 

“Rose, I know what you’re going to say…” 

“Oh, you are ridiculous!” She tried to sound scolding, but a laugh betrayed her. Swatting playfully at his arm, she strode ahead of him in a poor imitation of a huff. 

“But stairs are boring!” He jogged to keep up with her and put an arm around her shoulder. “Stairs wouldn’t be _memorable_ Rose, but rappelling down a 1,000-foot cliff, _that_ will stick with you.” 

Rose attempted to glare at him but, seeing the smile spread across his face, she couldn’t help but mirror it. 

“That’s true. But you could’ve let me know it was an option -- I’d probably have chosen the cliff anyway.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah,” she grinned, tongue at the corner of her smile. “Stairs are boring.” 

The Doctor beamed. “Next time, I’ll inform you of all possible routes to our destination. Promise.” 

“Good.” She poked him in the ribs. “Wanna set up camp soon, though? I think this glitter-sand is permanently bedazzling my flip flops.” 

The Doctor stopped and looked out toward the bay, surveying their location. 

“Yep, we’ll have a good view of the sunset from here.” 

“Oh there’s a sunset in our future, is there?” Rose poked him in the ribs again and bit her lip at the thought of sitting next to him on the sand, resting her head on his shoulder as they watched the sun dip beneath the sea. 

“Dunno, just thought…” He shrugged, running a hand through his hair. 

“Can’t wait to see it,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Haven’t watched a sunset in ages, have we? Not since that planet with the rock formations and flying stingrays.” 

“Yeah.” He smiled at her, eyes crinkling at the corners as he lifted his hand toward her cheek. Then froze and cleared his throat. “Right, let me just get out our supplies.” 

He dropped her hand and began digging in his pockets again. Rose rolled her eyes. 

“I’ve got beach towels, some nibbles, and a bottle of water,” he said, depositing each item on the sand at their feet. “And -- oh, forgot about this -- some special suncream. The UV rays are much stronger here than on Earth, so you’ll have to put this on.” 

He handed her a small yellow tube. 

“A little goes a long way, so you can use it sparingly, but you’ve got to rub it in really well. Lasts for weeks, though -- great stuff, that.” 

“Okay, thanks.” 

Rose picked up her towel from the pile he’d made in the sand and spread it out, facing the water. She kicked off her sandals, put her hair into a loose bun, and unbuttoned her shorts. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the Doctor pause, watching her, before springing into a flurry of motion, taking off his shoes and socks and rolling out his towel next to hers. 

Shaking her head, Rose stepped out of her shorts and settled down on her towel, sitting cross-legged. She squirted some of the suncream into her palm and began working it into her forearm. 

“Like this?” 

The Doctor looked up from the bag of crisps he seemed to be thoroughly examining and raised his brows. 

“Sorry?” 

“Am I rubbing the cream in enough?” 

“Ah, right. Here, let me…” 

He reached over and held her arm, thumb working the lotion into her skin with firm, circular strokes. Rose hummed in appreciation -- she hadn’t realized that muscle could even _get_ tense, but somehow he made it feel better 

“Yep, just like that,” he said, letting go suddenly. “And make sure not to miss any spots -- you’ll have to get under the straps and…” He made a circular motion with his hand in her general direction. “...and everything.” 

“Got it.” 

She sighed quietly, feeling silly that she’d hoped he’d help her apply the sunblock all over. While the Doctor laid back on his towel she got to work, rubbing the cream onto her arms, neck, chest, and stomach, then standing and bending to reach her calves and thighs. Realizing the Doctor would have to do her back, she grinned and turned around. 

She found him completely reclined with his legs crossed and his hands behind his head, staring at her with that slack-jawed look again. Realizing he’d been caught out, his eyes flew shut. 

“Doctor,” Rose laughed and shook her head, kneeling back on her towel. “I don’t mind, you know.” 

“What?” He opened his eyes and turned his head to face her. 

“You can look, I don’t mind. Besides, nothing you haven’t seen before.” 

“What?” he said again, squeakier, eyes opening wide. 

“I mean, that time we were locked in that stinky dungeon we had to get changed in front of each other. Remember? You made fun of my polkadot pants. And we’ve gone swimming in the TARDIS pool a few times, haven’t we? You’ve seen me in a swimming costume before.” 

“Ah.” He nodded. “Yes. But this one is... is...” 

“What?” 

“Less… substantial.” 

“Please, you’re one to talk!” Rose scoffed. “Of the two of us, you’ve shed the most layers today.” 

The Doctor smirked and ducked his head. “Fair enough.” 

“Just saying, you don’t have to keep your eyes shut the whole day. And I can tell when you’re looking anyway -- your superior Time Lord reflexes must be getting slow.” 

She nudged his elbow and he cracked a smile. 

“Now that was uncalled for. Maybe you only catch me when I let you.” 

“Whatever, old man. Now, can you do my back?” 

“Sorry?” 

“The lotion -- I can’t reach some parts of my back so you may as well do it all.” 

“Oh, right. Sure.” 

“Ta.” 

She rolled onto her stomach and bent her arms, resting her cheek on her hands. The Doctor’s fingers brushed along her spine and her eyes drifted closed. 

“I just need to…” He tugged at the string going across her back. “That okay?” 

“Yep. There’s one on my neck, too.” 

“Right, thanks.” 

Rose tried not to shiver as he gently untied the bikini strings and moved them off her skin. Then she imagined what his face would look like if she suddenly rolled over with nothing covering her, and her body shook as she giggled. 

The Doctor laughed too. “Since when are you that ticklish? I’ve hardly touched you.” 

“No, no it’s not that. It’s-- nevermind.” She tucked her face into the crook of her elbow as the hypothetical astonished look on his face flashed before her eyes again. Then she took a few deep breaths, focusing her attention on his palms resting on her lower back. “Sorry. I’m fine, go on.” 

His touch left her back and she could hear him popping the lid of the bottle and squeezing some lotion onto his hands. Then he began applying it in broad strokes, starting at the small of her back and moving upward to her shoulders. Next, he focused on rubbing the cream deeply into her skin, using the same circular thumb strokes he’d shown her on her arm. 

He worked methodically, covering every inch of her back at least once. Rose hummed contentedly when he reached her left shoulder, which had been bothering her after a narrow escape last week. The Doctor paused. 

“Sorry,” Rose said quickly, hoping her finding enjoyment in suncream application didn’t freak him out. “Just feels nice.” 

“Hm. You’ve got a knot here.” 

“Yeah, pulled it last week I think. It’s fine.” 

The Doctor was silent, smoothing one hand to the other side of her back and feeling her muscles there. 

“You’ve got one on this side too. Do you clench your teeth when you sleep, Rose? Read that can cause neck and shoulder tension in humans.” 

“Um, I dunnoohhhhh my god.” 

The Doctor had leaned forward, pressing his thumbs into the stiffest parts of her shoulders, causing Rose to relax even more against her towel. He chuckled. 

“Like that?” 

“Yeah,” Rose breathed, trying not to moan as he kneaded his thumbs into her skin, working the kinks out. “Yes, feels amazing. But you don’t have to-- Ah, yeah that spot there.” 

“How’s that?” 

“Perfect. Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” he said, continuing to massage her shoulders and moving up to her neck. “And I know I don’t have to, but it’s nice. Want you to feel good.” 

Rose flushed at his last sentence, despite the innocent context. She shifted, hoping with his attention focused on her neck he wouldn’t notice her pressing her thighs together. 

“Thanks,” she said, voice muffled against the towel. 

Once her neck and shoulders were loose and humming from his touch, the Doctor smoothed his hands down her back one last time, stopping when he met her bikini bottoms. 

“Hmm.” 

Rose held her breath as his fingers trailed along the edge of the fabric all the way to her hip, where he plucked the string there. 

“You get under here?” 

“Um. I forget.” 

The Doctor sniffed, probably laughing at humans and their feeble minds, and Rose was about to tell him off when he pulled on the bow, drawing the knot free. As he touched her there, thumb working the cream into the skin below her hipbone, Rose imagined rolling over on the towel again. 

This time the thought didn’t make her laugh at all. 

When he was done the Doctor re-tied the string at her hip before repeating the treatment to her other side. Rose tried her best not to squirm, but when the Doctor’s fingers slipped a few inches under the front of her bikini bottoms, she clenched her legs together, a desperate sound escaping from the back of her throat. 

“Sorry,” he muttered, withdrawing his hand immediately. “The lotion, it’s--” 

“I know.” 

“--slippery.” 

“Ha. Yeah.” 

“Right.” 

The Doctor re-tied the string on her hip, and then the others on her back and neck. His hand lingered on the base of her spine for a moment before he moved back to his towel. 

“All set,” he said as she rolled over, adjusting her top, which, unfortunately, was perfectly in place. “Well, almost all set -- you’ve got to do your face.” 

Rose was glad to have an excuse to look away, figuring that the act of massaging the cream onto her cheeks would at least be an excuse for her flushed skin. When she was done she handed him the bottle. 

“Do you need to use it?” 

“Nope! Superior T…” 

“Time Lord blah blah blah.” Rose giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. “Alright alright, I get it.” 

“That was very cheeky,” he said. “And just for that I’m not giving you a head start.” 

“Head start for what?” 

With a grin, the Doctor leapt up from the sand and began running toward the waves. 

“For our race to the ocean!” he called over his shoulder. 

“Oi, not fair!” 

Rose tossed her sunglasses onto the towel and sprinted after him, reaching the water only seconds after he splashed into the surf. The water was colder than she expected and she shrieked, but soon had to hold her breath as the Doctor grabbed her around the waist and tossed her into an oncoming wave. 

When she surfaced she spit a mouth-full of water in his face, cackling when it made him sputter. They treaded water for a while, grinning at one another. 

“When I was little, sometimes mum and I would take the train to the seaside,” Rose said a bit later, when they were floating on their backs, pinkies linked so they wouldn’t drift apart. “I went back a few years ago and the place was absolutely grotty -- polluted and lined with tacky shops -- but when I was a kid I thought it was magical. Collected as many seashells as I could find.” 

The Doctor’s pinky tightened around hers. “Everything’s magical when you’re a child,” he said. “Or when…” 

Rose waited for him to finish, but he was quiet. She turned her head face him and he was there, looking at her with a small smile. He closed his hand around hers and pulled her to his side. 

“Or when…” she whispered. 

He squeezed her hand and something about the look in his eyes made her heart swell. 

“Or when you’re seeing the world through someone else.” 

They just gazed at each other for a moment, the gentle waves rocking their bodies even closer together. The Doctor lifted her hand out of the water and brought it to his mouth, keeping his eyes on hers as he brushed his lips against her skin. 

“Rose,” he whispered. 

That’s when fiery arrows filled the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor let go of Rose’s hand.

“Swim!”

They both dove forward and began to race toward the shore, the Doctor’s breaststroke cutting swiftly through the water. Rose attempted to copy his technique but fell behind, so she went with her and Mickey’s preferred way of getting around the crowded city pool when they were kids -- a crude underwater butterfly stroke.

Taking a deep breath, she plunged below the surface and took off, thankful that this ocean’s salinity was gentler on the eyes than the sea back on Earth. After just a few strong strokes she could see the Doctor’s feet kicking only yards ahead of her.

Then he stopped, seemingly treading water like it wasn’t raining burning spears.

When Rose caught up with him, bursting above the waves and taking a heaving breath, he gaped at her and closed his eyes, mouth moving silently.

“Alright?” she asked, struggling to draw air into her lungs.

“Rose, I thought…” He shook his head and swallowed thickly. “I couldn’t see you.”

“Was right behind you -- I swim faster underwater,” she said, eyes prickling at the look on his face, at what he must have thought. “We should probably get a move on though, yeah?”

As if on cue, an arrow plunged into the water an arm’s length away.

“Right,” the Doctor said, jaw set tight as he pointed toward the shore. “See that rock there? Swim for that -- I’ll meet you on the beach.”

“Okay.”

The Doctor waited for Rose to take a long breath and dip beneath the waves again, but she soon saw him in front of her, leading the way. Her lungs and legs were burning but she somehow made it to the shore without coming back up for air. Once she crawled onto the sand, the Doctor took her arm and lead her toward the cliff while she coughed and panted.

“Are you hurt?” He slipped an arm around her waist, walking briskly.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

“Do you think you can jog a bit? We need to take cover.”

“Yeah,” she breathed, taking his offered hand and picking up the pace.

Several yards ahead of them Rose could see a narrow opening in the cliff, a carved-out section where the network of stairs up to the native’s dwellings began. The Doctor lead them to the right of that spot, where the cliff face formed a small overhang. He had to stoop so he wouldn’t bump his head on the stone ceiling and Rose doubled over, resting her hands on her knees as she fought to get air into her lungs.

“Deep breaths,” the Doctor said, rubbing her back. “Count to three as you inhale, ready? One, two, three. Exhale, one, two three. There you go, you’re alright.”

As Rose focused on replenishing oxygen to her body, the Doctor summarized their situation.

While they were floating, the current had pulled them upshore from their towels and belongings, which were now about a half mile down the beach. It was too dangerous to be out in the open while the shore was under siege, so they couldn’t risk going back to collect them.

The arrows, which were launched from another part of the continent, had homing devices and were likely targeting the city settled at the top of the cliff. The few that were falling into the ocean and on the sand must have malfunctioned.

“But, I don’t get it,” Rose said once she was able to speak. “Thought we landed here during a peaceful stretch?”

“Erm…” The Doctor hand reached toward his hair, but he hit the rock and wound up tugging on his ear instead. “It’s possible that I, well, maybe I could have, ehm, miscalculated.”

Rose narrowed her eyes.

“We’re at the start of the glitter wars, aren’t we?”

The Doctor opened his mouth and closed it again.

“Yep.”

He shrugged in apology and Rose reached out for his hand.

“Well, we got more than half a day of relaxation in,” she said, lacing their fingers. “That’s a new record for us.”

“Quite right.” He chuckled and gave her hand a squeeze.

“So, now what? Wait the attack out here? You might get a bit of a neck cramp, though, if you keep standing like that.”

“Nah, the only way back to the TARDIS is up those stairs,” he said, motioning to the steps to their right. “So we may as well start making our way now. There’s a safehouse a few levels up -- should’ve just been built, I reckon -- and it should be empty for another few months at least.”

“Months? The fighting’s not over by then?”

“The war lasts nearly a decade, I’m afraid. I wind up getting involved, oh, about halfway through. Stayed in the safehouse when I helped out their surveillance team and I took a look through the log -- they didn’t have cause to use it until the first batch of secret agents were killed.”

Rose’s brow furrowed.

“Can we help? Earlier, you said it was the most brutal war in their history, yeah? But it’s just starting now so maybe we can stop it.”

The Doctor shook his head, stroking her hand with his thumb.

“Sorry, Rose.”

“Fixed point?”

“Yeah.”

“Hate when that happens.”

“I know. Come here.”

Rose wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his chest, sighing as he stroked her back. The only thing worse than risking their lives in a war zone was not being able to make things better for those caught in the crossfire.

After a few moments, she gave him a squeeze and stepped back.

“Alright, so we’re off to find the safehouse then?”

“Yep -- can you handle a few flights?”

“I’ll manage.”

“Great,” he said, motioning for her to go ahead of him. “Up six flights, quick as you can, then take a left. I’ll be right behind you. And if we run into any groups of people just follow my lead -- they’re usually skittish of off-worlders, but now that a war’s on they could turn aggressive.”

“This isn’t one of those planets with strict decency laws is it?” Rose asked, glancing down at her bikini, still dripping from the sea.

“No, it’s hot year round so our swimming costumes actually won’t stand out that much.”

“Well at least there’s one thing in our favor.” Rose laughed. “Okay, here I go.”

Before taking off up the stairs she glanced back toward the beach, where the arrows continued flying at the cliff above. If the Doctor hadn’t told her they were launched from another bit of land, she’d have thought they were being shot from a single cloud hovering over a corner of the sun.

Turning away, she jogged toward the stairs and began making her way up. They were steep, but shallow, so she took two at a time. At the top of the first flight a narrow path was carved along the cliff in both directions, leading to several buildings. She noticed there were no railings, but put the thought out of her mind as she continued climbing.

Rose slowed as she reached the top of the fourth flight, a bead of sweat dripping down her temple and running along her jaw. Her lungs were burning again and her legs felt tight and heavy. She lifted her hands and rested them atop her head to open her lungs -- a trick she’d learned in gymnastics when she couldn't catch her breath after a vigorous floor routine.

“Easy,” the Doctor said from behind her, his hand resting on her lower back as she continued to climb. “Don’t rush, nearly there.”

A smoldering arrow ricocheted off the cliff inches to their right.

“Well, maybe rush a little.”

Inhaling deeply, Rose quickened her pace, focusing on one step at a time. The Doctor, who frustratingly did not seem short of breath at all, continued murmuring encouragements as they went.

When they finally reached the top of the sixth flight Rose paused, hands on her hips as she panted and looked around. She was relieved to see the pathway here was wider than the first five and there appeared to be a small piazza of sorts a few dwellings away. Thankfully, no villagers were in sight.

“Alright?” the Doctor said, resting a hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah,” she wheezed, offering an exhausted smile. “Who needs a thighmaster when I have you?”

The Doctor chuckled and tugged on his ear.

“Right,” he said, taking her hand. “This way.”

He lead her down the path on the left, which was just wide enough for them to walk side-by-side. Rose, who was on the inside, tried to peer into the square windows they passed by, but they were all shuttered.

“How do people here making a living?” she asked, as the carved-out piazza and its small fountain came into view. “Didn’t see any boats or nets, so they can’t be fishermen. Or, fisherwomen. Fisher… people?”

“Hah, no. Funny story actually, they--”

The Doctor tensed, head tilting as though he was straining to hear. He stopped walking and Rose did too, looking at him questioningly but knowing better than to interject.

After a moment he jerked his head to the right, his eyes following, and she got the hint, holding tightly to his hand as she turned and followed the wall of the piazza. There was a tiny crevice in the rock adjacent to the fountain and she raised her brows, receiving a nod in confirmation.

Without a word, she squeezed between the walls of rock, the Doctor right behind her. They’d just inched into the shadows when the square filled with voices.

“Found items. Beach. Off-worlders.”

“Their location?”

“Unknown.”

“Form team. Search.”

“Yes Commander. You?”

“Stay here. Watch.”

“Understood. Men, women -- we go.”

“And Sargent.”

“Ma’am?”

“Search. Find. Kill.”

“Understood.”

Rose had silently inched her way as far back as she could fit in the narrowing gap. A reassuring hand rested on her shoulder and, though she knew it was the Doctor, on the heels of such a chilling conversation it made her flinch.

“Sorry. Just me,” he whispered. “You alright?”

“Suppose,” she whispered back. “But, once again, we’re between a rock and a hard place. And just FYI, Doctor, that’s supposed to be a figurative expression.”

He was quiet, but by the way his chest moved against her back she could tell he was laughing.

“Rose, can you turn around?” he said after a few quiet moments. “I can’t turn my neck enough to see behind us.”

“I like that you address me by name, as if there’s someone else stuck in here with you.”

She grinned and rolled her eyes at the rock, attempting to shift noiselessly. Lifting her arms straight over her head to give her body more room, she slowly pivoted in place. She’d nearly made it 180-degrees when she stepped on a loose rock and her ankle faltered. The Doctor’s hands were on her waist immediately, steadying her and helping her turn the rest of the way.

“Hello.” He smiled.

“Hello.” She smiled back. “Think my arms are stuck like this.”

The Doctor reached up with one arm and was able to free her wrists from where they were wedged between the rock. There was no room between them, so she rested her hands on his shoulders then, winking, looped them around his neck.

“If I didn’t know any better I thought you’d have planned this,” she said, ruffling the hair on his nape.

The Doctor glanced away, his grip tightening on her waist. Her eyes were still adjusting to the darkness, but Rose thought she could detect a pinkness in his cheeks.

“Well?” he asked.

“Hm?”

“The guard, the commander who stayed behind -- can you see her?”

“Oh, right.”

She lifted onto her tiptoes, leaning against the Doctor as she tried to get a better view. Though the day was warm, it was much cooler in the shadows -- especially when wearing a damp swimming costume. A chill ran through Rose’s body, her nipples hardening and gooseflesh covering her skin.

He must have noticed as her breasts pressed into his chest, but if he did he didn’t let on. His arms closed around her waist, helping to support her weight.

“Ew, she’s smoking a pipe or something,” she whispered, gripping his shoulders. “Sitting on the edge of the fountain, facing the sea.”

“Ah,” he said, loosening his grip as she returned her heels to the ground, but keeping his hands on her hips. “Guess it’d be too much to ask to have a negligent guard just this once.”

“Seriously. Can’t catch a break, can we?”

“Nah, that’d be far too easy.”

They grinned at each other.

“So, now what?” Rose asked. “Just wait for her to leave?”

“Well, we can hope. Otherwise we can try to sneak past at nightfall -- their pupils don’t dilate, it will be difficult for them to see us in the dark.”

“Brilliant. How long til then?”

“Oh…” He tilted his head from side to side, calculating. “About 90 minutes.”

“That’s not so bad -- we’ve waited longer in worse spots.”

“That’s true.”

“I’m a bit chilly, though. How are you doing?”

She expected a retort about superior Time Lord body temperature regulation, but instead he just smiled.

“Me? I’m perfect.” He shifted his arms, moving one to rest across her shoulder blades and the other to wrap around her lower back. “Can you move your arms down to go around my back? Think I can help.”

Rose bit her lip, managing to squeeze her hands between their bodies and hold the Doctor around the middle. She looked at him with her brows raised.

“Lean in close,” he said, so she did, resting her head on his chest.

At first, she felt nothing. She was about to make another joke about this being part of some master plan to be close to her when his body began to warm beneath her touch.

“Mmm, that’s nice,” she whispered, feeling his palms warm her back.

Without meaning to, she sought out more contact with his skin, pressing her thighs and shins against his. The Doctor made a happy noise in his throat, moving his hands up and down her back and along her sides, helping her gooseflesh subside.

It was around his third pass down her ribs that Rose realized the drawback to this plan. He’d never touched her for this long -- never touched this _much_ of her -- and soon she was throbbing between her legs.

She closed her eyes and buried her face in the crook of his neck, cheeks burning with heat and desire and shame that she was turned on by something so innocent.

“Better?”

“Mhm.” She nodded, pressing her nose into his skin.

He continued stroking her sides as Rose battled within herself -- she felt that it was wrong to let him keep touching her like this, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask him to stop. As her willpower weakened her hands began to wander too, grazing his skin at the top of his swim shorts.

“It’s happening,” he said.

Rose’s eyes widened and her hands froze.

“What?” she squeaked.

“The sunset,” he said. “I can see the light reflecting off the wall. We’re missing it.”

“Oh.” Rose let out a breath. “Do you remember what it looks like? Describe it to me?”

The Doctor paused, resting his cheek against her temple.

“It happens quickly,” he said, hushed voice in her ear. “The sun is in the sky one minute and the next it’s dipping beneath the waves, just like that. If you blink you might miss it. And the sky, Rose, the sky turns from eggshell to copper -- a warm, soothing shade that makes you feel like everything is going to be alright.”

Rose’s eyes fell shut as the image he painted with his words appeared in her mind. She was hoping asking him to speak would distract her from her body’s reaction to his touch, but if anything his voice was making things worse. She clenched her legs together, trailing a finger down his spine.

“And my favorite bit,” he continued. “The bit I wanted you to see most is the few seconds just before the sun sinks away for good. The copper sky is streaked with feathers of mauve and amber, as if thousands of jet planes have cut across the atmosphere, leaving colorful vapor and chemtrails in their wake. It’s beautiful, Rose. Absolutely beautiful.”

She fought back a whimper as his words transported her to the beach, leaning against his chest as they huddled on one towel and watched the horizon glow. Her nails dug into his skin.

“I can see it.”

This time, it was only his fingertips that rippled over her ribs.

“Rose.”

She lifted her chin and he was right there, nose nuzzling her cheek. He moved even closer, bottom lip brushing her top, breath hitting her skin. He was waiting for her; asking her.

“Rose?” His voice was so soft she could hardly stand it.

She answered, leaning forward and melting into his lips. Everything slowed down, then, as he sucked lightly on her bottom lip, hand drifting up her back and cradling her neck.

The Doctor parted his mouth, changing angles, and their lips came apart and together again and again. Rose clung to him, her knees feeling shaky and her mind clouded. Copper and mauve and amber danced beneath her eyelids.

He changed the angle of his mouth again, humming softly, and Rose ran her tongue along his bottom lip. The hand on her waist smoothed lower, ghosting over the string at her hip and curving around until he was gripping the back of her thigh.

Heat shot through her, both from the warmth of his skin and the desire in his touch, and a needy moan caught at the back of her throat. The Doctor shushed her, lips never leaving her skin, and kissed her again, tongue shyly stroking hers.

Rose took in a shaky breath as her hips shot forward, sliding her tongue further into his mouth and caressing his. The Doctor groaned, hand on her thigh holding her to him, growing hardness nudging the skin above her hip.

She broke away, panting.

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

Rose smiled -- the Doctor, who had run up all those stairs with ease, actually sounded breathless.

She leaned back enough to look at him, smiling when she found his cheeks flushed and his eyes hooded. He adjusted his hand on her thigh, fingers teasing the sensitive skin on the inside. She gasped and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, he was smirking.

“Commander!”

A voice echoed through the piazza and they jumped apart, tense and on alert. Rose frowned, fear and adrenaline and arousal swirling in her veins, making her feel out of sorts.

The surrealness of the moment nearly made her giggle and she glanced at the Doctor, wanting to tell him how she was now stuck between a rock and two hard places, but the look on his face brought her back to reality.

His jaw was tense, face turned away from her as he listened to the footsteps filling the square.

“Commander! Found something! Beach! Come now!”

There was shouting and scraping noises that sounded worryingly like swords dragging on granite. After another thunder of retreating footsteps, it was silent.

The Doctor turned to Rose with a furrowed brow and took her hand.

“Let’s go.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose make it to the safehouse. (Some angst has snuck in, but it will all be resolved. Promise.)

Rose expected the evening sky to be alight with burning arrows, but there was nothing above them but stars. It was calming, and if it wasn’t for the absence of a moon she might have thought she was back on Earth.

The Doctor paused once they’d squeezed out of the gap in the cliff, scanning the piazza and cocking his head to listen. Rose glanced around, performing an inspection of her own, though she knew her senses weren’t as heightened.

All she could hear was the trickle of water from the fountain and faint, irregular booms far in the distance. It sounded like thunder, but she knew it wasn’t.

“I don’t hear the soldiers -- they must’ve gone down to the beach,” the Doctor whispered. “Ready?”

Rose nodded, squeezing his hand and following him across the square and back onto the narrow path. The night air was mild even without the sun’s warmth, but the rock was cool under her bare feet. She shivered, missing the Doctor’s embrace. She hoped the safehouse might have some extra clothing that she could put on over her bikini.

“Look.”

The Doctor nodded toward the beach, where a cluster of shadowy figures stood on the sand, a few holding blazing torches. They were standing around something that looked suspiciously like the Doctor’s striped towel.

“Guess I should say goodbye to my sunglasses.”

“Sorry Rose.”

“S’alright. They had a good life -- lasted longer than my last pair.”

He laughed quietly, then stopped and began tapping a rhythm on a blank section of rock between two dwellings.

“What are you doing?”

“There’s an alleyway leading to the safehouse here, but a hologram gate is shielding it,” he said, tapping the same pattern again in another area. “To open it you’ve got to tap out the first few bars of ‘Blister in the Sun’ in just the right spot.”

“You’re joking.”

“I’m serious. Very popular song here.”

Rose grinned and bit her lip.

“You know what they say that’s about, don’t you?”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her and continued knocking on the rock.

Shaking her head, Rose turned and began tapping on the wall with her fingertip, humming along quietly with the tune. After her fifth try there came a soft pop, like the top being twisted off a fizzy drink, and suddenly a long, lit passageway appeared in front of them.

“Well done,” the Doctor whispered, stepping inside and motioning for her to follow.

He continued walking into the cliff and, after a few steps, Rose heard the popping sound again. She stopped and turned back -- the gate had closed, appearing to seal them in.

“There’s no code to exit,” the Doctor said, before she could ask. “There are motion sensors -- just walk toward it and it will open.”

“Good to know. It was starting to feel a little too ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ for my liking.”

After several yards they reached the end of the passageway, which appeared to lead absolutely nowhere. The Doctor, who didn’t seem concerned, was rummaging in the pocket of his swimming trunks, tongue pressed to the roof of his mouth.

Rose heard a lot of jangling sounds and was about to ask him what was in there when he pulled out his sonic screwdriver.

“There we go,” he said, turning the dials. “Now, just need to remember the right settings. Ah, think this should do it.”

He aimed the sonic at another blank bit of rock, familiar buzzing filling the small space. Then, just like that, a door emerged from the rock. It looked incredibly ordinary, complete with a round doorknob and even a brass knocker.

The Doctor adjusted the settings on the sonic again and aimed the device at the handle. A click signalled that the lock had disengaged and the door swung open.

“Let me give it a sweep first, make sure it’s safe.”

Rose fixed him with a look.

“Thought you said no one’s used it yet,” she said, stepping inside and pulling him along. “Besides, we’re in this together.”

The space lit up the moment they crossed the threshold, revealing a simple, tidy room. It was small -- safe _house_ was a bit of a misnomer -- but it was one of the better places they’d been confined to in their travels.

Against the wall opposite the door was a wooden desk and matching chair, sitting next to a small cupboard. A meager bed was placed against the adjacent wall and took up most of the room, though it was barely larger than a twin mattress.

Rose yawned at the sight of it, exhaustion hitting her like a load of bricks (or granite, in this case). She was relieved to see the bed was made with crisp, white linens and a fluffy duvet. She made a beeline for it, sitting on the low mattress and lying back. Her vision filled with stars.

“Oh wow, this is gorgeous,” she said, eyes glued on the skylight. “Doctor, you’ve got to see this.”

“Mm, this planet is known for its spectacular view of its galaxy,” he said, still standing by the door. “The Klau’kari actually have laws in place to keep light polution down.”

She waited to feel him lie down next to her on the bed, but he didn’t move.

“How can there be a skylight here, though?” she asked, trying to distract herself from the concern bubbling in her chest. “We walked well into the cliff -- isn’t there just rock above us?”

“This part of the wall forms a ledge, so it’s jutting out beyond the level above.”

“Oh.” She nodded, then propped herself up on her elbows. “The people above us, on level seven -- won’t they be able to see the light?”

“Nope. Hologram filter.”

“Ah. Right.”

The Doctor walked over to the desk and pulled out the chair, sitting down as his hand dove back into his pocket. Rose frowned, patting the bed next to her.

“Come on, don’t you want to stargaze? You know you want to tell me all about the natives’ constellations. That’s your favorite.”

He grinned and looked away, shaking his head.

“First things first.”

Rose sighed and sat up, turning to watch him. It was wishful thinking, she supposed, that they’d pick up right where they had left off while hiding in the piazza.

In all the time she’d spent contemplating finally, _really_ kissing the Doctor, this scenario had crossed her mind. Processing feelings was never his strong suit and distance was his primary coping mechanism. Maybe he just needed some time.

Rose pressed her lips together as she fought back a smile -- being stuck in a room with her after an emotional breakthrough was probably his worst nightmare come true.

Her train of thought branched off as she realized a more practical problem with the single, solitary room.

“Doctor?”

“Hm?” His brow was furrowed as he rummaged away in his pocket, now elbow deep.

“Is there a loo?”

“Behind you, near the corner. It’s a pocket door. See?”

“Oh, yeah. Good.”

“Need to use it? Should be stocked with toilet tissue.”

“No, I’m okay.”

He frowned and paused to look at her.

“Do you have a headache?”

“A bit, actually, but it’s not bad.”

“You’re probably dehydrated -- we never even drank the water I brought to the beach.” He touched his tongue to his top teeth again and shoved his hand deeper into his pocket. “Come on, where are you? Ah -- gotcha!”

With a triumphant smile, he pulled out a black canvas pouch with a zipper along the top, about the size of Rose’s makeup bag. He opened it and began removing its contents, listing each item as he placed it on the desk.

“Hand sanitizer, portable water filter, paracetamol, crackers, spare sonic, tampons, bananas -- oh, that was a bad idea,” he said, scrunching up his nose as he pulled out a bunch of the browning fruit and tossed it in a bin next to the desk.

“Doctor…” Rose said, eyes widening at the pile of tampons that were her preferred brand. “What is all this?”

“Emergency kit,” he said brightly. “Began carrying it with me when the TARDIS broke down on Luolouloung and the Louloulounese mistook us for escaped jewel thieves. Remember? They confiscated my sonic, but didn’t know to look deep inside my pockets -- how would they? So from then on I started carrying this packed with a few essentials.”

“Essentials, hm?”

“Well, started with essentials and began adding bits and bobs along the way.”

“Brilliant.” She grinned. “What else’ve you got?”

He smiled back and Rose relaxed, relieved he seemed to be acting like his usual self. She wanted to talk to him, needed to ask him what it meant, but decided to wait until they were back on the TARDIS -- at least then, if he got overwhelmed he could hide beneath the console until he was ready.

Reaching back into the bag, he pulled out more items. “Wet wipes, tea bags, Harry Potter books one through three, toothpaste, hair gel, Swiss Army Knife, two spare toothbrushes, an electric kettle, mittens, deodorant, an undershirt, aaand…” He thrust his arm further into the bag, feeling around. “Ah -- chocolate!”

Rose laughed, taking in the assortment of odds and ends piled high on the desk.

“Think this is the best idea you’ve had yet, Doctor.”

“Why thank you.”

“There doesn’t happen to be, say, a whole outfit of mine in there?”

“Sorry, that’s it.” He said, turning the bag upside-down and shaking it. “Never imagined a scenario where we’d be this thoroughly without clothing.”

“Course you didn’t, why would you?” She wanted to hug him but thought better of it, given their current circumstances. “You have an undershirt, though, so that’s good.”

He picked the white shirt out of the pile and stretched out his arm, handing it to her.

“Consider it yours.”

“Thanks.”

He smiled, then stood abruptly, taking the water filter into the loo. Rose heard running water, and a moment later he came back with a paper cup filled to the brim.

“Drink this,” he said, passing it to her. Then he opened the bottle of paracetamol and handed her a pill. “And take this, too. For your headache.”

She grinned, swallowing the pill and gulping the cool water down gratefully. When she was finished the Doctor refilled the cup and brought it back.

“I’ve attached the water filter to the tap, so it’s safe to drink whenever you’re thirsty. Or even if you’re not -- you should drink a few more cups before bed so you can rehydrate. I put our toothbrushes and the toothpaste in there, too, on the sink. There are towels on the rack above the toilet, if you want to shower. Oh, and there’s a shower. Obviously.”

He sat down at the desk again and tugged on his hair.

“Thanks Doctor. This is a pretty swanky set up, by our standards. We’re lucky you knew about this place.”

He shook his head, frowning at the rock floor.

“Pfft, lucky. I got us into this muck-up in the first place. I’m so sorry, Rose.”

This time she couldn’t resist walking to his side and squeezing his shoulder.

“Hey, none of that,” she said softly. “This is a picnic compared to the trouble we usually get ourselves into, yeah? It’s kinda fun, actually -- like we’re on holiday in a, um, bungalow. That’s it, a charming seaside bungalow with a view.”

The Doctor smirked. “You should be in real estate.”

“What’s that?” she asked, pointing at his mouth.

“What?” He raised his hand toward his lips.

“Is that.... is that a smile?”

His grin widened.

“It is! It is a smile! That’s much better, no more pouting.”

The Doctor shook his head and laughed, reaching out for her hand. Rose bypassed his fingers and leaned over, wrapping her arms around his shoulders before thinking better of it. His muscles tensed under her touch but she didn’t let go, and she soon felt his arms close around her waist.

It was an awkward position, with him sitting and her bending toward him, so after a moment she began to straighten her back. But rather than let her go, the Doctor tightened his grip, pulling her down onto his lap.

Rose gasped quietly and went with it, sitting on his thighs and resting her chin on his shoulder as they continued to embrace. She waited for his hands to begin stroking her back, for him to make the next move, but aside from smoothing his thumb along the same patch of skin he didn’t act.

“Think we’ll be able to get back to the TARDIS tomorrow?” she asked after a bit.

“Yeah, don’t see why not,” he said. “I reckon we can wait until nightfall and then sneak up the rest of the stairs and skirt around the cliff until we get to that bit we rappelled down from. It’s the long way, but we can’t risk cutting through the woods, where the soldiers may have set up camp.”

“Sounds like a plan,” she said.

Easy silence descended around them again. It was nice, just cuddling with him like this, and Rose rested her cheek on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. Soon her eyelids became heavy. She yawned.

“You must be knackered,” he said, gently lifting her off him.

“Yeah, a bit,” she lied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She’d have stayed hugging him like that all night if he’d let her, but in truth she was more tired than she’d felt in a long while. It had been quite the day, between hiking, rappelling, swimming, and climbing, with actual stints of relaxation few and far between.

“You must be hungry, too -- want to eat something before bed? I can offer you two exciting choices of crackers and chocolate. Unfortunately they’re not the kind of crackers that are used for s'mores, though we don’t have marshmallows anyway, or a fire for that matter, so I suppose that’s a moot point.”

“I’ll eat in the morning,” she said, patting his arm. “Now, I just want to sleep.”

“Right. Just, drink another glass of water first.”

“Will do. Oh, can I borrow the sonic? My swimming costume has been soggy for hours.”

“Of course,” he said, handing her his screwdriver, not the spare. “You remember the setting for drying fabric?”

“729-E-square.”

“Well done.”

Rose picked up the white t-shirt and went into the loo. She used the toilet, brushed her teeth, splashed water on her face, and finger-combed her hair before putting it into a ponytail. Then she took off her still damp bikini -- damn this planet’s humidity -- and ran the sonic over the bottoms until they were dry. She put them back on, along with the Doctor’s undershirt, and went back into the room.

“Feel better already,” she said, draping her bikini top over the doorknob to dry overnight. “My legs might be a little sore come morning, but at least I’ll have clean teeth.”

She handed the Doctor the sonic and walked over to the bed. Climbing beneath the covers, she sighed happily and fluffed the pillows, which felt like they were stuffed with down.

“Want me to dry that for you?” the Doctor asked, nodding at the bikini top.

“No, it’s alright,” she said, lying down and nestling under the duvet. “It can air-dry -- don’t normally sleep in a bra, anyway.”

“Oh.” The Doctor stared at a spot on the floor and scratched his nose.

Rose sighed. One step forward, two steps back.

“You coming to bed?”

“No, I--” He cleared his throat. “I’ll keep watch.”

He buzzed the sonic toward the ceiling and the lights dimmed.

“How? The only window’s a skylight. Come on, you must be exhausted. And we have an actual _bed_ for once. Plenty of room, too, not like when we shared that hammock on Nuevo Barbados.”

“I’m fine, Rose.”

She frowned.

“Well if you change your mind…”

“Thanks.”

She rolled onto her side, eyes stinging for the second time that day. Though her thoughts were racing, worry and anxiety filling her mind, exhaustion soon won out and she fell fast asleep.

***

Rose was awakened by the mattress sagging.

She smiled sleepily and rolled over to cuddle against his chest, like she normally did when they were stranded together. But this time the Doctor was on his side, lying on top of the covers with his back to her.

She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. He needed to sleep. Whatever discussion they were going to have, they could have it later.

After a few moments the Doctor’s breathing grew heavy and Rose knew he had drifted off. She rolled back onto her side, facing away from him, and took comfort in his nearness, even though in some ways he was far away.

***

Rose’s wrists were stuck between the walls of the gap in the cliff face.

The Doctor’s mouth was on her neck, planting open-mouth kisses all the way to her shoulder then sinking his teeth into her flesh. She keened and pressed her bum against him, feeling his cock on her skin.

His hands were everywhere. Her bikini top drifted away with one strong tug and her bottoms were already on the cave floor. He cupped her breasts and one hand roamed lower, scratching its way down her stomach and sliding between her folds.

He was inside her, thrusting deeply with his hand clamped over her mouth. They couldn’t be loud, the soldiers in the square might hear.

His hands were gliding up the insides of her thighs.

His arm was around her back.

Her lips were pressed against his chest.

***

Rose whined, shaking off consciousness and clinging to her dream. Her mouth felt dry and she tried to lick her lips, but instead her tongue met bare skin.

She tensed, realization falling around her, stark and unwanted.

Unwilling to open her eyes, she used her senses to take stock of the situation. She was curled against the Doctor, her face resting on his chest, which was rising and falling deeply, letting her know he was still asleep. His arm was around her back -- wedged between her body and the mattress -- with his hand resting on her hip.

Rose’s knee was leaning on his thigh and she could feel his bare leg beneath her calf. He must have crawled under the blankets at some point, because the duvet was covering her to the waist.

Sleep began to drape itself over her again but she fought against it, knowing the Doctor wouldn’t want to wake up like this after the way he was behaving last night.

Moving very slowly, she eased his arm off her hip and rolled over until she was on the edge of the mattress. She heard the Doctor smack his lips together and shift under the duvet, but his breathing remained steady and slow.

Finally opening her eyes, Rose found the room bathed in a gentle orange light. She wondered if the sunrise was as beautiful as the sunset, and soon found herself reliving the kiss they’d shared in the side of the cliff.

She shook her head, willing those thoughts away. Squeezing her thighs together and praying they’d get back to the TARDIS soon, she fell back to sleep.

***

The room was bright when Rose next awoke, warm light streaming in from the skylight above the bed.

She hardly noticed, though, because the Doctor had shifted in his sleep again. He was behind her, chest flush against her back, warm breath tickling the nape of her neck. His thigh had snaked between her legs and one hand had crept beneath her shirt, fingers brushing the underside of her breast.

Rose swallowed thickly, heat rushing through her as her body reacted to his touch.

Her arousal had been building since they’d stepped out of the TARDIS yesterday, compounding exponentially as the day wore on, between close-contact rappelling and sunblock application and huddling for warmth while hiding for their lives.

It was maddening and unsustainable, and her willpower was fraying. If they didn’t get back to the time ship soon she might need to take a long shower and have a good wank.

She clamped her eyes shut at the thought, not wanting to anticipate something she was hoping to put off. Unfortunately, the Doctor chose that moment to move in his sleep, nose nuzzling the back of her neck as his hand slid upward, cupping her bare breast.

Rose froze, her breathing growing shallow as she felt her nipples harden and wetness build between her legs. Her mind was clouded with lust but she tried to think rationally. She was attempting to determine if she could slide out of bed without waking him when he rutted against her, erection poking her lower back.

Without meaning to, she squeezed her thighs around his leg in search of relief, teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she bit back a moan. He did it again, hand kneading her breast, and she whimpered, summoning the remaining shreds of her willpower in an effort to not grind back against him.

The Doctor’s mouth moved to the spot where her neck met her shoulder and he murmured something, lips moving against her skin. He hummed, a happy noise escaping from his throat, and he whispered her name, pressing his hips into her one last time.

Then he stilled, his body tensing so quickly Rose held her breath as she awaited his reaction. He didn’t move and she realized he might be trying to gauge if she was asleep or not. She forced herself to take deep, peaceful breaths as if she were blissfully unaware of their entanglement. (As if she wasn’t secretly hoping he’d roll her over and fuck her hard.)

It appeared her acting did the trick, and the Doctor slowly extricated himself from her and got out of the bed. Rose heard the toilet door slide open and closed, followed by the shower’s running water.

She rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow and groaning. For a moment she was relieved he was in another room -- not tantalizing her with his touch -- until her thoughts wandered to what he might be doing in the shower.

She willed herself not to to think about it, which only made her think of it more; water drenching his skin as he leaned into the spray, one hand bracing on the tiled wall while the other tugged at his cock until he came.

Rose groaned again, louder, and her hand drifted down toward her thighs before she wrenched it away. With all of his sodding superior Time Lord senses there’s no way he wouldn’t be able to tell, and she wasn’t about to be stuck in a room with him with that hanging over them, on top of everything else.

While she was busy cursing the Doctor and his emotional hangups the water turned off, the door sliding open moments later. Rose relaxed her body and resumed her deep breathing, feigning sleep until she heard the Doctor pull the chair away from the desk.

She rolled over and rubbed her eyes, mentally noting that she deserved a bloody BAFTA for this performance.

“Morning,” she said sleepily.

“Morning.” He smiled. “How’d you sleep.”

“Mm, like a log. Did you rest at all?”

“Yeah, I lied down for a bit. Nodded off, I think.”

Rose fought to keep a neutral expression on her face.

“Oh good, I’m glad. Right, think I’ll take a shower then.”

She practically bounded out of bed, grabbing her bikini top from the doorknob and jogging into the loo. She turned the water on cold and stripped down, shivering as she stood under the spray. When she finished washing up and dressed in the bikini and t-shirt again, she felt rejuvenated. All they had to do was hang out until nightfall and hike back to the TARDIS. That wasn’t so bad, was it?

With a smile on her face, she slid the loo door open and stepped into the room.

The Doctor was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still with the angst, but we're heading toward resolution!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: kahki820

Rose sorted through the items in the Doctor’s emergency kit while she waited for him to return. She could just imagine him out in the passageway, pacing and making a mess of his hair. Maybe having some space to sort out his thoughts would do him good.

Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten for nearly 24 hours, so Rose opened the packet of crackers and munched while she thought about what to say when he came back. After eating a quarter of the packet Rose sealed it back up, saving the rest for the Doctor (and herself, if they wound up being stuck in here an extra day).

She was opening the chocolate wrapper when she remembered the cupboard next to the desk -- it held some ceramic plates, bowls, utensils and a few empty containers, but no food. As she stooped to pick up a small bowl, which she’d rather drink tea from than a paper cup, Rose noticed a drawer on the side of the cupboard.

In it she found packets that looked very much like jam, sugar, and creamer. The crackers would taste delicious with fruity jam and she loved a sweet cuppa, but Rose decided to wait for the Doctor to vet these items in case they had any side effects in humans. The creamer, however, had a cartoon drawing of a cow on the top and tasted just like milk when she dipped her tongue into one, so Rose figured it was safe enough.

She made strong, milky tea with the Doctor’s electric kettle and emergency tea bags, humming in satisfaction as she sipped the steaming drink from the bowl.

When the Doctor still hadn’t returned after she’d finished her cuppa Rose peaked her head out into the passageway, just to check. He wasn’t there.

Frowning, Rose made the bed and sat down on the covers, hugging her knees to her chest. She could understand him needing some time to himself, but how could he just swan off like that without so much as a note? Especially when the soldiers had explicit instructions to _kill_ them -- he must know she’d worry about him traipsing around in the daylight.

With that thought, her frustration did, indeed, turn to concern. She ran through the ostensible reasons why he could have left; he might have gone to try to recapture their belongings, or to scout their exit route, or even to sneak back to the TARDIS and land it back in the safehouse.

Rose stood and stretched her sore quads, hoping the latter was the case. She did a few more stretches and even tried a couple yoga poses Shirene had taught her, trying not to think about where the Doctor might be.

When that didn’t work, she climbed under the covers with the chocolate bar and the first Harry Potter book and settled in for a long wait.

Three hours later, Harry had received a Nimbus 2000 and the Doctor still hadn’t returned. Rose used the tea bag package to mark her spot and began pacing, chewing on her bottom lip.

What if something had gone wrong while he was off doing whatever he was doing? What if she was wrong all along, that he hadn’t left her but had been _taken_?

Deep down she knew that was illogical -- there was no sign of a struggle -- but she latched onto the thought as she tried to bury the one that was niggling the back of her mind. (The one that said he left and he wasn’t coming back.)

Though she’d only been up for a few hours the light was dimming, sun casting long shadows through the skylight. They must have slept well into the afternoon.

Rose walked to the desk and picked up the spare sonic, wedging it between the cups of her bikini. She debated wearing the t-shirt but decided against it, figuring the swath of whiteness might be easier for the Klau’kari to see in low light.

She drank a glass of water, used the loo, tied her hair into a bun, and set off to find him.

***

It was eerily quiet on the cliff and it felt strange to walk along the narrow path alone. Rose glanced over the edge and noticed it was high tide, the waves covering the sand and crashing against the rock below.

She quickly walked back toward the stairs they’d used on the way up, keeping close to the dwellings, which were still shuttered and dark. The piazza was thankfully empty and Rose jogged past it, brows knitting as she unsuccessfully willed memories of their time there away.

She paused when she reached the steps, wondering which way the Doctor might have gone. There was probably more danger in store above than below, and so that’s the direction she took. The Doctor certainly wasn’t one to shy away from trouble.

At the top of the next level she took a left, walking along a narrower path than the level below. Sure enough the sixth level jutted out farther than the seventh and Rose swept her eyes over the ledge, finding no trace of their skylight. However it worked, the hologram filter was great camouflage.

There was another set of stairs at the end of the path, but Rose doubled back and passed her stairs to check the path on the right. Finding nothing but another staircase at the end, she went up another level and walked the whole way across until she reached the third and last stairway. She walked up another level and began the process again.

The sun had set somewhere between levels nine and 10, but Rose hardly noticed. She sat on the steps, throat dry and beads of sweat rolling down her back. There looked to be at least 5 more levels to the top of the cliff and still no sign of the Doctor.

She was debating going back to the safehouse to wait for him when she heard a strangled shout coming from above -- a strangled shout that sounded very much like the Doctor.

Rose jumped up and started running up the steps. Her heart leapt and fell simultaneously -- she’d found the Doctor but, from the sound of it, he was in serious trouble.

When she reached the next level she heard his shout again, coming from the right. She began jogging down the path, treading lightly, mind scrambling to come up with a plan. His voice sounded muffled, like there was something over his mouth, so she imagined his hands were bound too, and maybe his legs.

The path on this level was wider and, just like level six, it had a piazza in the center. She slowed as she neared it, seeing torchlight flickering out from the square.

Pressing herself against the corner dwelling, Rose inched closer and peered around the side. There was a cluster of figures in dark cloaks with their backs to her, staring up at some sort of wooden platform erected in front of the fountain.

She squinted, trying to determine its purpose, when one cloaked person -- a soldier, she guessed by the sword on his hip -- began shoving someone up the three steps to the platform.

Rope was binding his wrists, hands held in front of his blue swimming trunks. As she’d guessed, there was a piece of cloth over his mouth, tied so tightly it was digging into his cheeks. There was a trail of dried blood stemming from two gashes on his upper arm, which made Rose’s chest ache the most.

He’d been held captive long enough for his blood to dry. While she was eating chocolate in bed he could’ve been locked up in a cell.

Her guilt was pushed aside, though, when the solder took hold of a bright red noose. Rose understood the purpose of the structure now -- it was gallows.

Her pulse raced as she panicked, not sure of what to do. The guard slipped the noose around the Doctor’s neck and he shouted again, but whatever he was trying to say was lost to the fabric between his lips. As the guard began to tighten the rope, Rose acted on impulse.

She crept into the piazza and took a few silent steps forward. The hooded crowd was too intent on the anticipated bloodlust in front of them that they didn’t notice, but the Doctor’s eyes found hers immediately. They widened and darted to the side, wordlessly imploring her to flee.

She shook her head and reached between her breasts to take hold of the sonic. She bit her lip in concentration as she moved the dials to 13-C-oval. Then, putting her weight on her right foot, she pulled her arm back and propelled it forward, throwing the sonic high into the air.

When she heard the splash of it falling into the fountain she shouted.

“Oi you lot!” The crowd turned, faces indistinguishable under the shadows of their hoods but menacing just the same. “What’s with the robes? Missed the train to Hogwarts?”

They rounded on her and she began backing away, wishing she’d had more time to think this through. She turned right to escape down the path but more hooded soldiers were racing toward her. She took another step back as the crowd began to chant several syllables over and over, something she couldn’t understand.

“Doctor!” she called. “You alright?”

There was no reply. She took another step back, but while her toes landed on the rock her heel met nothing but air.

“I was just kidding about the Hogwarts thing,” she said shakily as the crowd pressed on. “You would never be accepted.”

She took another tiny step back and held out her hands to stop the approaching mob. Her stomach dropped -- she was standing on her toes on the edge of a cliff.

Just as Rose was starting to wonder if she’d survive the fall an arm wrapped around her back, pulling her onto solid ground. The Doctor, cloth still around his mouth, had pushed through the thinner section of the crowd to the left and was elbowing the soldiers out of the way as he dragged Rose through.

They roared with anger and confusion but were slow to react, making Rose realize just how poor their night vision was.

The Doctor shouted something that sounded like, “come on!” and ran forward, keeping a few steps ahead of her on the narrow path. She kept up, heart racing and lungs burning, and followed him to the staircase and down several levels. By the sound of it, the mob had caught on and were not far behind.

Rose counted the levels as they went -- nine, eight, seven -- and was relieved they only had one more flight to go. When the Doctor turned down the path on level seven she resisted, whispering they had one more left to go.

He shook his head and, by the look in his eyes, she knew he had something up his (non-existant) sleeve. She ran behind him, glancing back to see the glow of torchlights moving closer down the carved-out stairs.

Rose pumped her legs harder but the Doctor stopped, nearly making her fall over. He got down on his knees on the edge of the path and motioned for her to do the same.

She gulped, kneeling next to him and panting.

“Please tell me we’re not doing what I think we’re doing.”

He nodded.

Rose looked over the edge. Logically, she knew level six jutted out not far below them, but all she could see was darkness. The Doctor took hold of her arm and nodded over the ledge, motioning for her to crawl over the side so he could lower her down.

Nausea rose in her throat. She glanced back at the stairway and saw torches emerge. Closing her eyes and counting to three, Rose felt the Doctor’s hand cup her cheek, thumb smoothing over her skin.

As the sound of footsteps thudded toward them, she began to lower herself over the edge of the cliff. Her pulse roared in her ears and adrenaline flowed through her, ten times stronger than when they’d rappelled down the cliff. Rose felt her shins and knees scrape against the rock as she inched herself down, but she didn’t register any pain.

The next thing she knew she was dangling in mid-air, only the Doctor’s grip keeping her from falling. He shifted onto his stomach, lowering her as far as he could. Rose strained her toes downward, but still couldn’t find purchase.

She smiled at him and nodded. She’d trusted him with her life countless times before and he hadn’t let her down yet.

She kept her eyes on the Doctor and he began blinking, slowly and purposefully. She steeled herself as she realized he was counting down.

Three.

Two.

One.

He let go.

Rose was falling, and then she wasn’t. After just two gut-wrenching seconds her feet hit the rock and she toppled over, shoulder and hip slamming onto the granite. Pain still didn’t come and she quickly rolled out of the way so the Doctor would have room to land. She heard a thud an instant later and his hand found hers again.

Above them, a herd of footsteps ran past and kept going, shouting in confusion.

On the ledge, the Doctor guided her a few feet to the left then crouched, buzzing his sonic at the rock. In a flash, the saferoom skylight appeared. He reached down and released a latch, which let the glass swing inward.

He gripped Rose’s forearm again and she nodded, crawling into the open window and letting him lower her down. This time, her toes touched the bed before he had to drop her.

“I’m down,” she whispered, hopping off the mattress.

Her movement triggered the motion sensors and the room was instantly bathed in light. The Doctor jumped onto the bed and quickly aimed the sonic upward, turning the hologram filter back on. He then swung the window back in place and stepped off of the bed.

They stood facing each other, panting and in shock.

“Think they saw the light?” Rose asked.

The Doctor shrugged, then sat down on the chair and pointed to the back of his head, where the strip of cloth over his mouth was tied. Rose took the hint and began working on the knot, but after several minutes of trying to ease it loose with her fingernails it wouldn’t budge.

Then, remembering the utensils in the cupboard, she opened the drawer and grabbed a knife, carefully slipping it between the cloth and the Doctor’s head. She applied pressure to the fabric with the blade, moving the knife back and forth, and the material frayed and finally snapped free.

“Blimey!” the Doctor said, standing and rubbing the red indents on his cheeks. “That was unnecessary of them, wasn’t it? I would’ve shut up if they’d asked politely.”

Rose laughed.

“No you wouldn’t’ve.”

The Doctor tilted his head and frowned.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

He smiled at her and opened his arms as Rose stepped toward him, hugging him tightly and tucking her head under his chin. She made herself breath deeply, helping her heart rate to slow down as his touch soothed her.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. You?”

“Yep -- they sliced me a couple times with their swords when they, er, overpowered me, but that’s just superficial,” he said, stepping back and placing his hands on her shoulders. “You were brilliant, by the way! Very clever to put the sonic on its rope-cutting setting -- was able to slip out of the noose, fish the sonic out from the fountain, and maneuver it so it would hit the rope on my wrists. Had to sit on the edge of the fountain and use my knees, which was different, never done that before.”

He paused and his face turned serious, right hand moving to cup her cheek.

“Got to you just in time,” he said, thumb stroking her skin. “If I’d been a second later…”

“Well, you weren’t,” Rose said.

She placed her hand over his and smiled at him. Then she tensed, frowning as she remembered why she had to rescue him in the first place. Rose pulled his hand from her face and stepped back, crossing her arms.

“Where did you go?”

“What?”

His brow furrowed and he took a step toward her. Rose stepped back.

“When you left this morning, while I was in the shower -- where did you go?”

“Oh! I got these.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a light yellow tunic and two pairs of simple leather sandals. He offered them to her but, when she didn’t move, he placed them on the desk.

“Figured some of these dwellings had to be abandoned so I went to find clothing and shoes, so you wouldn’t have to hike back to the TARDIS in just your swimming costume,” he said, smiling hesitantly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were in the shower.”

“Why didn’t you leave a note? Or, better yet, why not wait for me to get out of the shower?”

“Rose…”

“No, I don’t want to hear an excuse. You freaked out and came up with any old reason to run away from me. That’s it, isn’t it?”

“Rose…”

“Did it even occur to you that I’d be worried sick? That I thought you might’ve left m--” She took in a shaky breath and closed her eyes. “And what if I hadn’t come looking for you when I did? Doctor, I could’ve lost you.”

“Rose…”

She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, willing back her tears.

“What?”

“Your legs.”

She dropped her hands from her face and looked down. Her knees and shins were stained with blood from the scrapes she got edging over the side of the cliff.

“Oh.”

“Sit down,” the Doctor said.

He pulled out the chair for her and walked into the loo, face unreadable. Rose sat, feeling utterly drained.

A moment later the Doctor returned with a dampened towel. He knelt in front of her and began dabbing at her skin. Rose hissed as the pain finally made itself known.

“Sorry,” he said, focusing on his work. “Need to clean the wounds before I use the sonic to heal your skin.”

“Okay.”

Rose bit her lip while she watched him gently clean the drying blood from her skin and clear any bits of dirt from her scrapes. It was hard to be mad at him when he was looking after her like this, but she still felt like there were so many things left unsaid -- an unresolved cloud hanging over them.

“We can go back to how things have always been,” she said quietly. “I can tell you regret it. Kissing me. Let’s just forget it ever happened, okay?”

The Doctor didn’t respond. Brow furrowed, he finished cleaning her legs and placed the soiled towel on the floor. He reached over her to grab the bottle of hand sanitizer from the desk, squirting a small amount onto his fingers.

“This is going to sting.”

Rose gripped the sides of the chair and clenched her teeth as he dabbed it on her wounds. Her eyes filled with tears again and, this time, she was glad to have a reason to let them fall.

“Is that all you’re going to say to me?”

The Doctor wiped his hands on a clean section of the towel, then reached into his pocket for the sonic. He took his time setting the dials.

“I’ve made a mess of everything,” he said, eyes still on the sonic in his hands. “Should have been more careful with the landing coordinates, should have had more control of my will power, shouldn’t have gone off on my own. This whole trip was supposed to be a laugh and I turned it into a disaster. I’m so sorry, Rose.”

“You don’t get it, do you? I don’t care that the trip was a disaster, Doctor. Our trips are _always_ a disaster, that’s not the point.”

“You’re right,” he said, looking up and finally meeting her eyes. “Once we reach the TARDIS I’ll take you home. Back to Jackie’s. You’ll be better off, and I know-- I know you must hate me.”

Rose groaned and stood abruptly, making the chair fall over.

“God, Doctor, just because I’m frustrated with you doesn’t mean I don’t lo--”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: kahki820

Rose froze, breath catching in her throat as she realized what she almost said. (What she may as well have said.)

The Doctor was still kneeling at her feet, looking up at her with wide eyes.

She swallowed and walked to the other side of the bed, sitting on the low mattress with her back to him. Taking out her bun and finger-combing her hair, she mentally cursed herself for that epic slip-up. As if he wasn’t running scared already.

The room was nearly silent and she felt as though the walls were inching closer, her shaky breathing filling the small space. After a few moments she heard the Doctor right the chair, its legs scraping along the rock floor as he pushed it into the desk. He made a sound, like he was opening his mouth to speak, but no words came.

Then he was in front of her, kneeling again and lifting the sonic toward her shins. He looked at her in question and she nodded shallowly, glancing away.

Cradling her ankle, he lifted her left leg toward him and began running the sonic over her scrapes. Rose bit her thumbnail, watching her cuts form new, pink skin.

The Doctor seemed intent on his work, brow furrowed and eyes focused on her skin. When he finished with her left knee, he lowered her foot to the floor and moved to her right leg.

“I was ashamed.”

His voice was soft, but it was so unexpected Rose flinched. He continued moving the sonic over her skin, face unchanged, and she wondered if she’d imagined it.

“What?” she asked.

His lips moved soundlessly, like he was trying to find the words.

“This morning, that’s why I left. I was ashamed.”

Rose wanted to reach out and touch him, to ease the pain written on his face, but she decided not to risk breaking his resolve. She needed to hear what he had to say.

“Ashamed of what?”

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably.

“While you were showering, I realized… I knew you must’ve been awake when I got out of bed. That you’d probably been awake long before I was.” He grimaced, keeping the sonic hovering over one of the deeper cuts. “You were, weren’t you?”

Rose bit her lip.

“Yeah. Yeah, I was.”

The Doctor nodded shallowly.

“So, there you have it. That’s why I left. I had no right to touch you like that and I needed to get away.” He frowned, moving the sonic up to the scrape on her knee. “Figured you’d want to get away from me, too. You ran into the loo so quickly.”

Rose sighed, thinking how like them it was to cock this up so badly.

“Doctor,” she began, choosing her words carefully. “I-- I want you to touch me like that.”

The corner of his mouth twitched, but he kept his eyes on her knee.

“You do?” he asked softly.

“Yeah. But, you know -- when you’re conscious. And only if you wanted to.” She toyed with a strand of her hair, twisting it between her fingers. “Thought that was kinda obvious, after what happened in that gap in the rock.”

The Doctor opened his mouth, then closed it.

“I thought… I worried you might just have been responding to my, ehm, my touch.”

“Well, yeah. But not just that.” She reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “That’s not why I kissed you, Doctor. You have to know that.”

He nodded and turned off the sonic, running his thumb over the new skin on her knee.

“I wondered but I-- I didn’t want to let myself believe it, I suppose. I know you’re affected when we touch sometimes, during a long hug or a cuddle, and I thought that, in the piazza, I thought I might have been, erm, taking advantage.”

Rose smiled, trying to catch his gaze.

“I mean, yes I like it when you touch me, but it was more than that,” she said, rubbing his shoulder. “You were looking after me -- keeping me warm -- and you’d just described the most gorgeous sunset that you specifically took me here to see. Didn’t you?”

He nodded, eyes still cast downward.

“That’s why I kissed you. It means a lot to me, the way you’re always thinking of something new and amazing to show me. That’s what you’d started to say when we were floating in the bay, yeah? That it’s magical to see the world through someone else. You did mean me, right?”

Rose nudged his shoulder and he finally cracked a smile, meeting her eyes.

“Yes.”

“Phew, that would’ve been embarrassing.”

The Doctor shook his head at her and grinned.

“Of course I meant you.”

“I know. Just wanted to see that smile of yours.”

She placed her hand over his on her knee and his gaze fell, looking at the new skin beneath their fingers.

“But this morning--” he started. “I’d hardly come out of the shower when you ran in there. You couldn’t even meet my eyes…”

“Well, I realize now how that must have looked,” she said, laughing nervously. “But, well -- remember what you’d said about your touch affecting me? That was happening this morning. And basically all of yesterday. And I also had this dream…” She laughed again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It was just too much, thought I might burst. Had to get away for a bit.”

“Oh. I see.”

“But only because I thought you didn’t… um, I didn’t know if we were on the same page.” She stroked his hand with her thumb, glad he was looking down and couldn’t see her blushing. “Didn’t realize you felt ashamed. You shouldn’t, you know -- you were asleep. And, like I said, it wasn’t exactly unwanted.”

The Doctor nodded, turning his palm over and lacing his fingers with hers.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” he asked.

Rose bit her lip, hoping this wasn’t the end of their conversation.

“Um, I landed hard on my hip and shoulder.”

“Can I?”

She shifted so her right side was facing him. The Doctor ran his fingers over her shoulder, pressing into her skin. Rose winced.

“You’ll have some bad bruising, but I can help.”

He adjusted the settings on the sonic and moved it over her skin, sending a soothing tingling sensation through her muscle. When he was done, he ducked to inspect her hip.

“Hm, you must have landed hard here. Do you mind if I…?”

He pointed to the bikini string tied across her hip and Rose pressed her lips together, remembering sand and suncream.

“Go ahead.”

He untied the knot and pushed the strings away, making sure the bulk of the fabric didn’t slip and she remained covered. Then he leaned forward, resting one arm on the mattress as the other held the sonic over her skin.

Rose sighed as the vibrations soothed her, not realizing how badly it had hurt until the pain began to dissipate. She held her arm up to give him space, but when her shoulder grew tired she rested her hand on his back.

“These areas will still be sore, but I have some ointment on the TARDIS that should help,” he said, testing her skin with his fingers and aiming the sonic at it again.

“So you’re not taking me back to mum’s, then?”

She meant it to be teasing but he frowned, turning the sonic off and straightening to meet her eyes.

“Do you want to go back?”

She shook her head.

“Do you want me to go back?”

He shook his head.

“Good, that’s settled,” Rose said. She smiled and he grinned back. “Can I have a hug?”

The Doctor let out a breath and leaned forward, closing his arms around her waist. Rose looped hers around his neck, pressing her nose into his skin as she held him tight.

“Sorry,” he whispered.

She stroked his back. “Me too.”

He turned his head and kissed her neck, barely brushing his lips against her skin. He kissed her again, in the same spot with more pressure, and Rose sighed, smoothing her hands down his arms.

She pulled back when her fingers moved over the gashes on his bicep.

“These hurt?” she asked, touching the skin below his cuts. “Can I sonic them for you or something?”

“Nah,” he said. “Pain’s not bad. And they’ve already begun to heal.”

“Superior Time Lord skin regeneration?” she asked, tongue between her teeth.

“Something like that.”

Rose leaned forward and gently kissed his reddened skin. The Doctor chuckled.

“Kissing it better?”

“Mhm.”

She straightened and smiled at him, but her jaw fell slack when he inched closer, his stomach nudging her knees. Rose was grateful the low mattress allowed them to be eye-to-eye in this position, but she began to worry about his legs on the hard rock.

“Do you want to sit on the bed?” she said, trailing her finger along his collarbone. “You’ve been kneeling on the floor for a while.”

The Doctor shook his head and his hands inched down her sides, resting on her hips. Rose flushed, remembering that he hadn’t re-tied the string on her right.

That thought was all it took to stoke the embers that had been smoldering low in her belly for two days straight. She swallowed and closed her eyes, parting her knees for the Doctor to move closer. He took the hint, pressing his chest against hers and nuzzling her cheek.

“Didn’t want to tie these back up, you know,” he said, toying with the still-tied string on her left hip. “Back on the beach, before everything went pear shaped.”

“Didn’t want you to, either.”

His thumb circled her exposed hipbone and his breath puffed against her lips and Rose whimpered, tangling her hand in his hair, but he still didn’t move. She opened her eyes.

“Doctor.”

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me?”

His lips were on her before she could finish asking.

It was nothing like their sensuous kiss in the cave -- no testing of angles, no hesitant caresses and licks. This time they dove forward, parting their mouths immediately as they sought out each other’s tongues.

She nipped his bottom lip and his grip on her hips tightened, making her wince.

“Oh god, sorry,” he said, dropping his hand from her injured side.

“It’s okay. Just a bit ginger.”

They smirked at each other, unspoken joke passing between them.

Then the Doctor shifted, bending to kiss the purpling skin on her hip. Rose’s breath hitched as she realized the unsecured half of her bikini bottoms had folded down, partially exposing her. She saw the Doctor notice when he straightened, and his eyes were dark as he met her lips again.

His hand ghosted up her spine as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, humming as it slid against hers. Rose hooked her heels behind his thighs, using the leverage to inch closer to the edge of the mattress. He squeezed her uninjured hip and tugged, helping to pull her nearer, and they both moaned when his erection pressed into her stomach.

“God, Doctor,” Rose breathed, rutting her hips against him.

A sound rumbled in his chest as he sucked on her pulsepoint, hand on her back tugging at the bikini string there. When he finally pulled the knot free Rose pushed him away, grabbing one triangle of fabric covering her breast and lifting the whole thing over her head, tossing it somewhere behind her.

She panted as he took her in, gooseflesh rising as he smoothed his fingers up her ribs. She watched him, breath caught in her chest, as his thumbs reached the undersides of her breasts and continued on, moving over her puckered nipples.

“Rose…” He leaned his forehead against hers, breathing heavily. “God, Rose, you feel…”

She cut him off with her lips, pressing her breasts into his palms. He squeezed her, feeling the weight in his hands, then rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. Rose gasped into his mouth, feeling wetness pool between her thighs as he ground his hard cock against her.

She felt frenzied, her mind struggling to catch up while her body urged her forward. She wanted to feel him inside her, filling her, but she didn’t want to rush him -- rush _this_ \-- so she told herself to let him set the pace.

But then he pulled back from her lips and closed his mouth around her nipple, sucking hard and tugging at her skin with his teeth, and that plan went out the damn skylight.

Rose panted as she watched him release one breast and move to the other, skirting his tongue around her nipple before flattening against it. While he closed his mouth and began to suck and tease her flesh, the Doctor wedged his hand between their bodies, making long strokes up and down the inside of her thighs.

She clutched his shoulders, legs beginning to quiver with need. After a moment he released her breast with a soft pop, rising to meet her lips. Their kiss was sloppy, teeth clashing and tongues seeking, and after several minutes Rose broke away to kiss his neck.

She began to shove his swim shorts over his hips as he continued to stroke her legs, creeping higher on each pass. Her hands fumbled on his waistband when his fingers reached the edge of her swimming costume at the top of her thigh, tracing the seam before grazing over her center.

Her hips bucked forward, seeking more contact with his hand despite the layer of fabric in the way. The Doctor pressed two fingers over her clit, making her gasp, and continued upward until he reached the patch of skin the un-tied string left exposed.

He exhaled roughly as he dipped two fingers into her bikini bottoms, sliding through her slick folds. Rose bit his shoulder and swore, scrambling to push his trunks to his knees.

When she finally succeeded, the Doctor was staring at where his fingers disappeared beneath the scant fabric and came back out shiny and glistening. Rose watched his face as he explored her, glad that the motion sensor lights stayed on so she could appreciate his slack-jawed look.

She followed his gaze and was reminded of why she’d pushed his shorts off him, seeing his cock bobbing rigid and thick against his stomach. Reaching around the Doctor’s arm, she circled her thumb over his tip and lowered her fist around him. As she gave him a slow tug the Doctor groaned, pressing his fingers against her clit.

“Oh, fuck.”

Rose stilled and leaned her forehead on his shoulder, letting him thrust into her fist as he continued stroking her sensitive nub. She was close already and yearned for release, but she used the last scrap of her willpower to push his hand away.

In a blur the Doctor’s fingers were in his mouth, eyes closed as he sucked. Rose put a scandalized look on her face, arching a brow at him when he finished. The Doctor grinned, leaning toward her as he yanked the bikini bottoms down her leg, where they caught on her ankle.

“God, Rose, you taste…”

Rather than expand on that thought he kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth and letting her see for herself. She moaned, stroking his shaft as he sucked her juices from his tongue. Then she locked her ankles around his back, pulling him closer and lining him up with her entrance.

The Doctor broke from her mouth, panting, inching his tip into her. He gripped her uninjured hip and curled his other arm around her back.

“Ready?”

She bit her lip and nodded, hands stroking the nape of his neck. He paused and smiled at her, leaning forward to kiss her again. His lips were soft and unhurried, the sweetness of the gesture making the back of her eyes sting.

The Doctor pressed forward, deepening their kiss, and his tip slipped free from where Rose had positioned it. As he delved his tongue into her mouth and leaned into her, his cock slid through her folds, smoothing over her swollen clit.

Rose whimpered, needy sound catching in her throat, and the Doctor smirked. Angling his hips, he repeated the motion again and then again.

“Doctor,” she moaned, closing her eyes and clinging to his shoulders. “I’m close. I’m-- _fuck_.”

She reached between them and covered his shaft with her palm, making his tip glide over her clit with increased pressure.

The Doctor groaned at the added friction and sped up his hips, murmuring encouragements through clenched teeth. He reached with one hand to cup her breast and pinch her nipple, gently then harder.

The tension in Rose’s stomach wound tighter and she ground her hips against him, chasing relief from the feeling that had been building since she’d first seen him in his swim trunks. All of the moments leading up to them coming together flooded her mind, cumulatively tugging on that knot inside her.

Rose forced her eyes open and immediately found his. He looked tense and mesmerized, and he leaned forward to nudge his nose against hers.

“Rose.”

After everything, it was her name on his lips that did it. He hadn’t even fucked her yet and she was coming hard.

Rose threw her head back and moaned, shuddering as her chest constricted and her muscles tightened and relaxed. It was a quick one -- a burst -- and while it relieved the pressure, it left her anything but sated.

She rested her forehead against the Doctor’s, giggling and breathing heavily.

“And just what’s so funny?”

He ran a finger along her ribs and nipped at her jaw.

“It’s just so bloody typical.”

“What is?”

Rose circled her fingers around his base and squeezed.

“Just that, in all the hundreds of ways I imagined you making me come, that never crossed my mind.”

“Oh yeah?” he said, sounding breathless as she stroked him. “How did you picture it then, all these _hundreds_ of times?”

Rose smirked and, rather than answer, lined him up with her entrance again. The Doctor smiled and pushed inside her a few inches. Then he paused.

Before she could ask what he was doing she was on her back and he was completely inside her. Her mouth fell open as his arm around her back scooted her further onto the mattress, moving along with her until his knees were on the bed. He pulled out and thrusted forward and was even deeper, stretching her walls just enough.

“God, do that again.”

The Doctor kissed her as he obeyed, pulling nearly all the way out before rocking back into her, repeating the motion over and over. He went slowly, kissing her until she had to break away to breathe.

“You’re gorgeous,” he whispered against her neck. “Absolutely beautiful, Rose.”

She could only gasp in reply as his pelvic bone rutted into her clit, giving her that frantic feeling again.

“Doctor. Please.”

He understood, speeding up his hips and crashing into her. She clenched around him and he groaned. Concentrating, she did it again and he met her gaze with hooded eyes.

“Don’t,” he said, jaw tense as he continued driving into her. “Rose, I’ll--”

“Please,” she cried, arching into him as she approached the precipice again. She wanted him to come first, needed to _hear_ him. The image of him stroking himself in the shower flashed in her mind and and she moaned, teetering on the edge. “Oh god oh god.”

The Doctor snaked a hand between them, pressing his thumb to her clit as her walls fluttered around him again, nearly there. He buried his face in her neck and groaned loudly, hips moving in shallow, choppy thrusts as he pulsed inside her.

Rose finally broke too, the sound of his orgasm rippling through her until it was her own. It tingled down her nerve endings and made her babble, soft, throaty sounds slipping past her lips as she writhed underneath him.

They stayed like that for a while, panting and caressing each other’s skin, whispering small, contented words. Rose smiled against his shoulder as he softened inside her, realizing they were still at the foot of the bed with their legs dangling off the side.

Eventually they untangled their limbs and took turns using the loo. Then they got under the covers and Rose nibbled on some chocolate while the Doctor told her about the last meal he’d been served by the surprisingly hospitable Klau’kari soldiers.

When they both began yawning they brushed their teeth, making faces at each other in the mirror and jockeying for position at the sink.

Rose slipped the Doctor’s white t-shirt on before climbing back into bed and his eyes widened. He pulled her to him and squeezed her waist, eyes on where her nipples poked against the thin fabric.

“Doctor, I’ve been naked for the last hour,” she laughed, kissing his temple. “Now that I’ve put a shirt on you’re turned on?”

“Not just _a_ shirt,” he said, slipping his hand beneath it and cupping her breast. “My shirt.”

“That why you wouldn’t get in bed with me last night?”

He dropped his hand and held up the duvet so she could climb beneath it. He got in after her and hummed happily as she nestled against his side.

“Something like that.”

He aimed the sonic at the ceiling and the lights faded. Then he placed it on the floor and wrapped his arms around her.

“Were you scared?” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he said, voice equally hushed.

“Are you scared now?”

He gripped her chin and tilted her face toward him, kissing her softly.

“Not even a little.”

Rose pressed her lips to the underside of his jaw and settled against his chest, resting her knee on his thigh. She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

***

It was bright when Rose woke up. If she dreamed, she couldn’t remember it.

She grinned as her consciousness surfaced and she felt the Doctor’s chest under her cheek, rising and falling peacefully. She tilted her chin and kissed his neck.

“Morning,” he said, rolling over and nudging his knee between her thighs.

“Morning Doctor.”

Rose shifted, getting comfortable, and felt his morning erection against her stomach. She flushed, mind bringing her back to the previous morning and its smothering sexual tension.

Rocking her hips against his, she kissed a trail across his chest, helping to wake him up.

The Doctor made a happy sound in his throat and slipped his hand under her shirt -- _his_ shirt -- palming her breasts and teasing her nipples. Rose sighed and reached between them, spreading the pre-cum on his tip and stroking him up and down.

As the Doctor kissed and sucked on the join of her neck and shoulder she purred, already growing wet. He thrust against her palm and she licked her lips, wanting to taste him but too comfortable to consider moving.

The Doctor’s hand left her breast and glided lower, over her ribs and hip until he reached her knee. He placed his hand between her thighs and slid his fingers upward, going slowly and teasing her with the occasional swirling stroke.

When he reached her folds he found her wet and ready, easily sliding two fingers inside her as she gasped. Moaning, he moved his hand back down her thigh and lifted her knee onto his hip. He shifted slightly and Rose’s breath caught, feeling him pressing against her entrance.

“Yeah,” she breathed. “Now.”

The Doctor gripped her thigh as he inched inside her, slowly, slowly filling her. Rose was a little sore from last night but that didn’t make it feel any less _good_. He set up a steady pace, kissing her skin wherever he could reach. Rose keened and her hands roamed his body, scratching his back and clutching his bum. As desire built inside her she slid her hand between them, rubbing slick circles on her clit.

“Fuck, Rose,” he groaned as her fingers brushed against his shaft.

She giggled at the sound of that word coming from his mouth.

“Say that again.”

“ _Fuck_.”

He began to pound into her harder, fingers making dents in her thigh, and Rose moved her fingers faster, feeling her orgasm build low in her belly.

This time it surprised her, flowing through her while she was mid-suck on the Doctor’s throat. She cried against his skin, teeth clamping down, body rocking into him and clenching around his cock.

The Doctor continued driving into her and then pulled out suddenly, sliding through her folds as he groaned. Rose could feel his warm seed spurt against her clit and she gasped, another wave of pleasure coursing through her.

They laid there for a while, sticky and sated, whispering gentle words. Then they took turns using the loo before collapsing back into bed.

“Can’t believe I’m tired again,” Rose said, nuzzling his neck. “We should get up.”

The Doctor chuckled, rubbing her back with broad, soothing strokes.

“Sleep,” he said. “We have to stay here until dusk, anyway, and we have quite the trek ahead of us -- even if we don’t run into any trouble. May as well get as much rest as you can.”

“Okay.” She yawned and rolled over, pulling his arm across her stomach. The Doctor cuddled closer, aligning his knees with the backs of hers. “You don’t have to stay in bed if you don’t want, by the way. I know you don’t need as much sleep and I don’t want you to get bored.”

He kissed the nape of her neck.

“Rose Tyler, are you trying to kick me out?”

She giggled. “No!”

“Good,” he said, tightening his arm around her. “Because I’m happy right where I am.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaand the escape! Thanks for reading :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: kahki820

“Mmm, this is gorgeous.” Rose hummed, closing her eyes as she chewed.

The Doctor had inspected the packets of jam and sugar that she’d found in the cupboard, declaring them safe for human consumption. He’d made tea while she set up a little picnic atop the duvet, crafting jam and cracker sandwiches and divvying up the remaining squares of chocolate.

They sat facing one another with their legs crossed, smiling across steaming bowls of sweet, milky tea. Even though they were far from home and her body ached, Rose couldn’t remember the last time she felt this content.

(And by the way the Doctor gazed at her, she’d bet her last jam packet that he felt the same.)

The Doctor had put his swimming shorts back on and Rose was in her bikini, hair still in damp tangles from the shower.

She’d joined him after she awoke from her nap to the sound of running water, reminding her of her naughty daydream the morning before. (She was too embarrassed to ask him if her musings were accurate, but based on how he looked at her when she knelt on the tile floor she’d guess it was a fantasy fulfilled.)

When they finished eating the setting sun basked the room in a soft orange glow. Rose threw the wrappers in the bin and tidied up the bed while the Doctor collected the items of his emergency kit, stowing them back in the black bag and stuffing it in his pocket.

After rummaging around in the cupboard for a bit he found a thermos, which he filled with water. That and the portable water filter were tucked away in his pockets, too.

“Here,” the Doctor said, handing Rose the light yellow tunic he’d stolen yesterday. “I know I went about it all wrong when I went out to find clothing yesterday, but the reasoning was sound. We might be hiking for a while and it gets windy at the top of the cliff.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

She slipped it over her head and tied the thin white rope at the waist. The Doctor put his t-shirt back on and stepped into the larger pair of leather sandals, motioning for her to do the same with the smaller pair.

“Suits you,” he said, tugging on the short hem of the dress while she bundled her hair into a ponytail. “You’ve gone native again.”

Rose gave the hair-tie one last twist and stepped closer, looping her arms around his neck.

“Knew you liked that,” she said, standing on her toes and nuzzling his cheek. “You always say it with such disdain, but you’ve never fooled me.”

The Doctor chuckled as he met her lips, hugging her waist and nearly lifting her off the floor.

“Suspect I haven’t fooled you with regard to a lot of things,” he said when he put her down a few moments later.

“Hm, dunno.” She ran her fingers through his hair, making the strands stick up the way he liked. “Sometimes you’re a bit transparent, but half the time I have no idea what’s going on inside that thick head of yours.”

She rapped her knuckles on his skull, making him grin. Then his face turned serious, and he stepped back and took her hand.

“I’m trying to be more… open,” he said, staring at their intertwined fingers. “It is hard, though. Not used to it.”

Rose squeezed his hand.

“I know. And I won’t rush you.”

They grinned shyly at one another, swinging their hands between them.

“Right!” The Doctor said after a moment, dropping her fingers. “Sun’s nearly down -- we better get a move on. Remember the plan?”

“Hike up to the top level, then stick to the outskirts of the forest until we reach the path leading to the TARDIS.”

“Exactly.” He grinned. “And if we get separated--”

“Oi, better not.”

“I know, but _if_ anything happens, just follow the edge of the cliff. It’ll lead you to the path.”

Rose huffed.

“Yeah, like I’d leave you behind. I think we proved last night that you’re just as trouble-prone as I am.”

The Doctor frowned and stuck out his chest.

“Am not. Besides, now I have inside information about how they operate. I wasn’t captured so much as, erm, conducting reconnaissance.”

Rose quirked an eyebrow.

“Is espionage supposed to end with a noose around your neck?”

She’d meant the remark to be flippant, but all it did was remind her of the look on his face when she found him -- mouth and hands bound, red rope slipping over his head. Smile fading, she bit her lip and shuddered.

“Come here,” the Doctor said, wrapping his arms around her. “We won’t get separated, I’ll stick right by your side. Besides, reckon they’re too busy on the war effort now to worry about the likes of us. All of their resources should be focused on the city at the top of the cliff, which we can avoid.”

“Okay,” she said, exhaling slowly. “I’m gonna hug the TARDIS when we get back. And I’m not gonna walk up a single step for at least a week.”

The Doctor chuckled, squeezing her and then letting go.

“Deal.” He took her hand and walked toward the door. “But first we’ve got quite a few to tackle. You up for it?”

“I’m up for it.” She smiled. “Let’s get it over with.”

***

Though her thighs were burning, Rose quickly jogged past level 10, not venturing a glance toward the piazza to see if the gallows were still there. It was quiet and the Doctor, who lead the way, indicated that it was clear to continue on. The cloaked soldiers must have found bigger captives to fry.

They took a break on level 14, sitting with their backs against the cool wall of a turquoise dwelling and passing the thermos between them. The sun had set completely while their backs were to the sea -- another sunset missed -- and Rose felt thankful for the security that came with darkness.

After drinking her fill, she screwed the top back on the thermos and handed it to the Doctor. She was about to stand and continue their upward journey when the Doctor nudged her arm with his elbow.

“See those twin stars, just there?” He extended his arm and pointed toward the night sky. “That’s the nose of the Laughing Stallion. The star above those, to the right, is the tip of its ear. And then you can see it’s back, and tail, and hooves.”

He slowly moved his finger, tracing the horse’s twinkling outline.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Rose said, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “He’s got a smile on his face, hasn’t he?”

“Yes, good eye,” the Doctor said. “The Klau’kari believe the Stallion stole a cache of diamonds from across the galaxy and used them to create this planet. According to their mythology, when the people he thieved from caught up with him they saw the sparkling coral and shimmering beaches, but couldn’t find the stones anywhere. When they finally left in dismay, the Stallion laughed and laughed. He found it all so funny that he made a permanent home in the night sky, looking down on them with a cheeky grin.”

Rose turned her head and pressed her lips to the sleeve of his t-shirt. She smiled, glad he was telling her about the local constellations after avoiding stargazing on their first night.

“I love that story. Bet for every star in the sky there are at least 100 tales to go with it. That’s my favorite thing about stars -- the way they inspire people.”

“Yeah.”

She lifted her head from his shoulder to find him gazing at her, something like wonder in his eyes. Her heart sped up as the Doctor licked his lips and angled his head toward hers.

Even after last night (and this morning) (and in the shower) his kiss overwhelmed her, knocking her breathless. She was amazed at how tender his touch was, the way his lips glided over hers soft and undemanding, the way his fingertips ghosted up her arm to settle on her neck.

Rose shifted, pressing closer, and a needy sound escaped from the back of her throat. She frowned as the Doctor pulled back, brushing his thumb along her jaw.

“We should probably keep going.”

Rose pouted.

“Right.”

The Doctor stood and took her hand, helping to pull her up.

“Don’t worry, not long now,” he said, leading her back to the stairs. “We should reach the top in, oh, 20 minutes, tops. Hah -- the top in 20 minutes tops! That’s brilliant, didn’t even do that on purpose.”

Rose smirked and bumped his side with her hip.

“You’re a nutter, you know that?”

The Doctor flashed her a toothy grin and started up the steps, tugging her along behind him.

“Your nutter,” he murmured.

She pressed her lips together, holding on to his hand as they climbed.

***

Rose’s hands were on her hips by the time they reached the top of the cliff. They’d pushed through the remaining levels in one go, which took just under 20 minutes as the Doctor predicted. Remarkably, they hadn’t run into any trouble.

“Well done,” the Doctor said, rubbing her back. “Hard part’s over -- the walk back to the TARDIS is relatively flat.”

She nodded, breathing slowly through her nose and exhaling from her mouth.

“Great,” she panted. “Just need a mo.”

When she caught her breath, they followed a sandy path that curved with the cliff, thankfully several yards away from the edge. Rose could still hear the faint ebb and flow of the tide below, but when she looked out toward the waves all she could see was darkness.

“It’s kinda creepy without a moon,” she said, shivering and bringing her eyes back to the path ahead of them.

The Doctor rested his arm across her shoulders.

“There is one up there, actually. Two, in fact -- but the rocks and minerals they’re made of absorb light, so they’re completely invisible to the naked eye. But they’re there, looming.”

She shivered again, glancing up at the dark sky.

“That’s even creepier.”

“Ha. Sorry.”

They continued walking for a long while and the path began to lead them through the forest. Soon they heard rowdy voices and laughter coming from ahead of them and the Doctor raised a finger to his lips, but didn’t slow their pace.

Eventually, the trees glowed with light from a distant bonfire in a clearing to the right of the path, about 50 yards away. Rose could make out several cloaked figures gathered around it, drinking from a large jug and sitting on wooden trunks. Her body tensed and her pulse raced with the fear of being discovered, but as they moved closer she saw their backs were to the path and their attention focused on the fire in front of them.

They were nearly past the clearing when the Doctor froze.

Rose stopped too, glancing up at him in question, but his eyes were trained on something in the distance. She followed his gaze and her stomach dropped when she realized what had caught his attention -- the farthest trunk was left open and the corner of the Doctor’s stripey beach towel hung over one side.

“Don’t even think about it,” she whispered, grabbing his arm.

“Bet your sunglasses are in there,” he said, eyes still trained on the trunk.

“Just leave it, I’ll get new ones.” She tried to tug him along but he didn’t budge.

“They’re intoxicated, won’t even know I’m there. Stay right here,” he said, guiding her behind a large tree away from the light. “I’ll be right back!”

“What about sticking right by my side?” she hissed at his retreating figure.

Rose sighed, peering around the tree to keep an eye on him in case his plan wasn’t as foolproof as he anticipated. He managed to make it to the trunk, bundle a few items -- probably her sunglasses and the bags of crisps -- into the towel, and shove it into his pocket. The soldiers continued drinking and started belting out a song, oblivious to the thief right behind them.

The Doctor was half way across the clearing, massive grin smeared on his face, when he stepped on a twig. The sound was quiet, but it seemed to echo through the still woods.

The singing stopped.

Rose watched the soldiers glance around, having trouble searching for the source of the noise with their poor night vision. The Doctor began to tiptoe back toward her and she thought they just might get away with it when a deep voice roared.

“Escapee! Capture! Kill!”

Rose jumped out from behind the tree, beckoning him to move faster. He broke out into a run at the same time as the soldiers, swords raised high.

“If they don’t kill you, I will,” Rose said, taking his hand and sprinting down the path.

“It’s these blasted sandals,” the Doctor said, leading them into a thicket. “If I’d had my usual chucks on they wouldn’t have heard a thing!”

Rose huffed, then stumbled as a thorny branch caught the fabric of her tunic. The Doctor helped her up and backed her against a nearby tree, pressing his body into hers.

She tried to breathe quietly as a herd of footsteps approached and stopped nearby. They seemed confused and began to mill around the area, blindly sticking their swords into bushes.

The Doctor gripped her waist and raised his other hand to gently cover her mouth, quieting the sounds of her shaky breaths. He ducked his head and rested his cheek on her hair, breath puffing against the shell of her ear.

It wasn’t the cool night air that made her nipples harden, or her hips arch forward in search of his. Rose reminded herself that she was furious at him, but her body didn’t seem bothered and she squeezed her thighs together. To distract herself she turned her head, lips slipping free of his hand.

“What did we say about not splitting up?” she whispered as the voices and slashing sounds moved farther away.

“That wasn’t splitting up. That was, ehm, that was a temporary tactical separation.”

“Doctor.”

“What? It worked, didn’t it?”

“God, you’re infuriating. Just when I think you’re making progress you go and do something daft again.”

The Doctor took a step back, eyebrows knit.

“Come on, I think they’re gone.”

They made their way back to the path in silence. Rose walked with her arms crossed against her chest.

***

They strode along the path for thirty minutes without talking. Rose ran her hands up and down her arms, frowning at the turn the night had taken.

She was wondering what she could say to finally get through to him when the Doctor spoke.

“I acted impulsively,” he said, eyes trained on the ground. “I’m sorry.”

Rose bit her lip and walked a few more paces as she mulled her reply over.

“Thanks for the apology. But you know it’s a pattern with you, right?”

She paused, but when he didn’t say anything, she continued.

“You’re always doing that -- making decisions without asking for or considering my feedback. Like when you didn’t tell me we could’ve taken the stairs instead of rapelling down the cliff. It’s like-- Doctor, it’s like sometimes you think that you know best no matter what, but we’ve proven time and time again that we’re better as a team.”

The Doctor nodded shallowly and Rose threaded her fingers through his.

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry.”

She squeezed his hand.

“You don’t have to keep saying sorry. Just try to do better next time, yeah?”

“I will.”

He squeezed her hand back.

***

When the TARDIS came into view they both beamed at each other and broke into a run.

“Oh, I’ve missed you!” Rose said, pressing her cheek against the door and smoothing her hands along the wood.

The Doctor chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Not to break up such a tender moment, but we should probably get inside. The soldiers may have picked up our trail by now.”

She stepped aside while the Doctor unlocked the door and held it open for her. Rose ran up the grating and collapsed in the captain’s chair, sighing happily as the Doctor set to work pulling levers and slamming buttons to send them to the vortex.

“And done!” He slapped a large button with his palm and turned toward her, grinning. “Rose Tyler, I regret to inform you that our beach holiday has officially ended.”

“Aww,” she whined, plastering her best pout on her face. “Well you know what they say about all good things.”

The Doctor walked up to her and cupped her face, fingering the hem of her tunic.

“Hmm, what do they say again?”

He leaned forward and kissed her temple, then her cheek, then the corner of her mouth.

“Um,” Rose said, looping her arms around his waist. “I forget.”

She tilted her chin up and pressed her lips to his, humming at the relief of his touch. As he licked her bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth her stomach swooped, realizing that it was their first kiss on the time ship.

Rose pulled back and hugged the Doctor tight, overwhelmed with the feeling of being home.

“Alright?” he asked.

Rose nodded against his chest.

“Very alright.” She pulled away and scrunched her nose at the grimey smear her cheek had left on his shirt. “Although, I’m pretty gross right now. Should probably shower.”

“What? You’re not gross. You could never be _gross_.”

“Aw that’s sweet, but objectively I am. I’m gross.”

The Doctor laughed.

“Okay. Well, while you do that, I have a few things to finish up out here. Then, want to relax later?”

“Yes, definitely.” She hopped off the chair. “And eat -- I’m famished.”

“Me too,” he said. “I’ll whip us something up.”

“Brilliant,” Rose said, setting off down the corridor for her bedroom. “Just try not to set the kitchen on fire this time.”

“I heard that!”

***

Rose half expected the Doctor to join her in the shower, but after stalling under the hot spray for several minutes her stomach growled and she turned the water off.

She was surprised that he wasn’t sitting on her bed when she came out of the bathroom, either. Frowning, she towel-dried her hair and dressed quickly in pajama shorts and a vest top. Then, stepping into her fuzzy slippers, she set off to find him.

He wasn’t in the library, media room, or the galley. Rose was about to try his bedroom when she heard the TARDIS’s rotors whir to life.

Her legs ached as she jogged toward the console room and she nearly toppled over when the ship landed with a thud. When Rose finally reached the entryway she stopped short.

The Doctor wasn’t there.

Panic rose in her chest as her eyes swept over the room, checking for some sign of him. She tried to quiet the voices in her head that suggested he might have had second thoughts, that they were currently sitting in her mum’s front room, that he was taking her home.

As a lump formed in her throat, the door swung open.

“Ah, there you are!”

At first glance his smile was reassuring, but then Rose noticed he was dressed in his usual henley, trousers, and red chucks. His face was cleanly shaved and his hair coiffed just so. He must have showered, too.

“What’s going on?” she asked, not moving from her spot in the entryway. “Thought we were gonna relax.”

“We are! Relax and eat, just like you said.” His smile faded as he took in the look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

Rose shook her head, trying to clear her jumbled thoughts.

“It’s just-- thought we were gonna relax and eat _on_ the TARDIS.” She tried to look around him to see out the door, but all she saw was brightness. “You haven’t-- We’re not at mum’s are we? Because I thought--”

Her voice cracked and the Doctor rushed up to her, taking her hands.

“No no no, of course not,” he said, brushing his thumbs across her knuckles. “I just wanted to show you something.”

She let out a breath, muscles relaxing.

“Okay… What is it?”

The Doctor grinned, dropping her hands and reaching into his pocket.

“Come on, where are you?” He touched his tongue to the roof of his mouth as he searched. “Ah, here!”

He pulled out his fist and held it in front of her, slowly opening his fingers.

There, in the palm of his hand, was a small, translucent seashell. It had a wide opening at the base and a perfect spiral at the other end, forming a sharp point. Rose’s mouth fell open as she watched it shimmer, catching the light.

“For your collection,” the Doctor said.

“Oh, it’s beautiful.”

She gently took it from his hand and held it in front of her, unable to resist pricking her finger on the pointy end.

“That’s how Sleeping Beauty starts, you know.” He chuckled. “You like it? They’re hard to find, but if not I can try to get another. Wanted to show you that I do listen. I care about what you have to say, Rose.”

“It’s perfect, thank you.” Rose hugged him, pressing her nose to his neck. “But wait a minute, does that mean we’re…” She sniffed, catching a hint of salt in the air. In the distance she could wear waves. “Oh no, we’re not back…”

“We are,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the door. “That’s what I wanted to show you.”

They stepped out of the ship and directly on to the beach. The towering, dwelling-speckled cliff was to their left, the peaceful bay to their right. Rose eyed him skeptically.

“Thought you couldn’t land the TARDIS on the beach?”

“Well, this time I studied the pattern of the tides,” the Doctor said, tugging on his ear. “And we won’t go far -- can run away if there’s a surge.”

“Okay.” Rose scanned the sky. “And are you sure there isn’t a war raging on at the moment?”

“Nope! Triple checked the coordinates… which I should have done last time. Anyway, it’s the day before we landed last time -- perfectly peaceful.”

“If you say so.” She winked at him and stepped out of her fuzzy slippers, tossing them back onto the ship before the Doctor pulled the door closed. “So what did you want to show me?”

He took her hand and lead her around the TARDIS. When Rose saw what was on the other side she gasped.

The Doctor’s striped towel was spread out on the sand, facing the waves. At its foot sat a tray with two bottles of water and a platter with mesh dome covering the food beneath.

Rose grabbed her arms around the Doctor’s elbow and grinned up at him.

“Are we having a seaside picnic? And, more importantly, are you inviting me onto your towel?”

The Doctor smiled.

“Yes and yes. And, for the record, this is a different towel from the ones I, ehm, re-apprehended. I have a few like this.”

“Of course you do.”

Rose sat and pulled him down with her. The towel was wide enough that, with their hips touching, they could sit side-by-side while facing the sea.

The Doctor lifted the covering to reveal several newspaper cones containing thickly battered fish and steaming chips.

“Oh my god!” Rose’s mouth watered and she reached forward to pull the tray closer. “How did you have time to do all this?”

“Well, the TARDIS helped. Go on, have at it -- you must be starving!”

Placing her new seashell on the towel, she tucked into the food, closing her eyes and humming in satisfaction when she shoved three salty chips into her mouth.

“Mmm, that’s good,” she said through a mouth full of potato. “Our best dates involve chips, you know that?”

The Doctor grinned and took a large bite of crispy fish.

“That’s because we have good taste.”

They devoured the fish and chips while the sun sank lower in the sky. When every last morsel was gone the Doctor moved the tray onto the sand as Rose sucked the grease from her fingertips.

“That was amazing Doctor, thank you,” she said. “Can’t believe we ate so much and it’s not sitting heavily in my stomach.”

“That’s because of the cooking oil the TARDIS uses -- quite healthy, actually.”

“Brilliant. We should cook that more often.”

“Absolutely.” He draped an arm across her shoulders and she leaned into his side. “It’s happening.”

Before Rose could ask what he was on about, the sky suddenly filled with color. She wrapped her arms around the Doctor as everything happened just as he had described it in the gap in the cliff.

The once white sky glowed copper and, in a matter of seconds, the sun swiftly dropped to the horizon, only a sliver peaking out above the waves.

Her eyes prickled as she remembered how the Doctor said the color made him feel -- like everything is going to be alright. She felt the same way, though it was as much to do with his arm around her as the color of the sky.

Then, in an instant, splashes of light filled the sky, mauve and amber feathers fanning out in every direction, just like the Doctor had explained. The streaks looked so much like jet trails that she listened for the roar of engines, but all she could hear was the rolling tide.

She wanted to tell him that it was breathtaking, that he was wonderful, but the words stuck in her throat because they didn’t even begin to cover how she truly felt. Shifting in his embrace, she looked up at him with shining eyes and moved to kiss him, but he stopped her with a gentle hand on her cheek.

“Rose,” he whispered. “You know that thing you started to say? Last night in the safe house?”

She nodded, breath caught in her chest.

“I, well…” The Doctor swallowed and ran his fingers along her jaw. “I feel it too.”

Rose smiled at him, tears threatening to crest her eyelids.

“I know.”

He exhaled and grinned, smile matching hers.

“You do?”

“Of course I do.” She sniffed, wiping her eye. “I’ve always known. Haven’t you?”

The Doctor nodded and leaned forward, brushing his lips over hers. Rose sighed as he cradled her back and pressed her down onto the towel, burying her fingers in his hair as she returned his soft kisses.

His lips soon strayed, ghosting over her cheek, her jaw, the column of her neck. She arched into him as he wedged his knee between hers, lacing their fingers and moving her arms above her head, their knuckles digging into the warm sand.

He sucked on her pulsepoint and Rose made a quiet sound at the back of her throat; he sucked harder and she moaned louder, arousal coursing through her veins. The Doctor groaned as she ground against his thigh and he released her hands, his fingers soon inching beneath the hem of her vest.

His touch was grainy and Rose shivered, imagining the glimmering sand sticking to her skin. She moved her hands over his shoulders and gripped the henley, tugging the shirtails out from the waist of his trousers. Her nails dug into his back just as he palmed her breast, and they both groaned at the feel of it.

Rose’s eyes flew open as his finger traced her nipple and his tongue swept below the hollow of her clavicle. The sun had set completely, leaving behind a starry black night. She knew from her time on the cliff that the beach below wasn’t visible from the dwellings -- darkness was shielding them once again.

The Doctor’s mouth left her neck, but before she could protest he had pushed her top over her chest, mouth descending to tease her nipples. She gasped and threw her head back against the towel, twinkling stars going out of focus when the Doctor nipped at her puckered flesh.

He shifted so his hips were settled between her legs, rocking into her so that his hard cock pressed into her stomach. Rose reached between them, fumbling with the zip of his trousers, when something above them caught her eye.

It was the Laughing Stallion, grinning down on them mischievously, and his playful smile gave her an idea. She pushed the Doctor off of her and sat up, pausing to kiss him deeply before pulling her shirt over her head and flopping over onto her front.

She looked back at him, tongue between her teeth as she took in his confused face.

“I-- What?”

“Last night, you said you didn’t want to re-tie my bikini strings when you were rubbing my back with suncream,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “So -- what would you have done?”

The Doctor blinked and then grinned, catching on. He was on top of her in an instant, kissing the side of her neck and grinding his erection against her bum.

“There were a number of things I wanted to do to you,” he said, kissing a path down her spine and pulling her pajama shorts off her legs. “But first I would’ve teased you.”

Rose rested her cheek on the towel as he glided his fingers over her knickers, down the curve of her bum. She parted her legs and his hand dipped lower, moving over her folds with a featherlight touch. The Doctor swore under his breath as his fingers passed the growing wet patch and Rose squeezed her thighs together, grinding down on his hand.

He let her move against him, pressing his fingers into her clit. Rose bit her lip and closed her eyes, imagining they had just rappelled down the cliff, that he had massaged sunscreen all over her and had finally made a move.

She broke free from her daydream when he freed his hand and tugged her knickers down her legs. Then he gripped her hips and pulled them upwards until she was on her knees, with her cheek and forearms still resting on the towel.

He gently spread her knees wide, nearly to the edges of the towel. Rose waited to hear the rustle of his trousers, waited for him to enter her, but instead she felt his breath on her thigh.

She realized that he was on his back, lying beneath her, just as his tongue slid through her folds.

“Oh god, oh-- _fuck_.”

The Doctor hummed against her as his tongue teased her entrance, then glided forward to trace her clit. Rose couldn’t help bucking against his face, lowering her hips in search of more friction.

Her mind went back to the sunny beach again, the Doctor in his swim trunks, her bikini discarded somewhere on the sand.

She felt him grip the backs of her thighs and pull her closer, lapping at her clit in earnest. Rose cried out, pressing her mouth against her forearm. Her stomach muscles tightened and her toes dug into the sand, the wave of her release surging forward but not yet cresting.

The Doctor moaned against her, sliding two fingers into her as he sucked on her clit, and the whitecap broke. Rose shuddered and moaned into the towel, grinding down on him as he continued to flick her clit with his tongue and fuck her with his fingers.

When her orgasm finally subsided she pushed his mouth away and soon the Doctor rested a hand on her back, letting her know she could lie flat.

“Holy shit,” she panted, grinning at him as she turned over. “That’s only the first thing you wanted to do to me?”

The Doctor nodded, eyes dark, and made quick work of shoving his trousers and pants down his legs and stepping out of them, along with his chucks. He pulled off his shirt and Rose licked her lips as she took him in, cock rigid against his stomach.

“Wanted to do that since long before we came here,” he said, kneeling between her legs.

“Remind me again why you didn’t?”

He leaned down and kissed her for several moments before replying.

“Wasn’t sure if you wanted me to.”

Rose reached between them, lining him up with her entrance.

“We’ve clarified that now, yeah?”

He grinned, pressing his lips to the underside of her jaw.

“Hm, not sure.” He winked. “Tell me again?”

Rose lifted her legs and dug her heels into his bum, pushing him inside her. The Doctor’s mouth fell open and he jerked his hips forward again, hitting her even deeper.

Circling her legs around his back, Rose kissed him as he slowly rocked into her, his hands smoothing over her skin wherever he could reach. The sand beneath her had moulded around her back, aligning them at a perfect angle.

The waves sounded closer and the Doctor sped up his pace, gripping her shoulders as he drove into her. The knot of tension grew low in her abdomen again and she arched into him, meeting him thrust for thrust.

“ _Unh_ Rose.” The Doctor shivered and bit her collarbone. “Fuck.”

He began pulling out nearly all the way before filling her completely, repeating the motion again and again. Rose unlocked her ankles and placed her feet on the towel, giving her more leverage as she inched nearer to the brink.

The towel felt damp and there was something sharp digging into her lower back but she was too far gone to care. Gripping the Doctor’s hips, she dug her nails into his flesh, murmuring encouragements every time he drove home.

The waves were lapping at her ankles when she came, shattering beneath him and clenching around his shaft. The Doctor groaned, hips pistoning and then stilling as he pulsed inside her, hot breath puffing against her neck.

After a moment he rolled off her and Rose cuddled into his side, panting as she stroked his back. She reached behind her, remembering the source of her discomfort, and felt a small, sharp object on the towel. Holding it in front of her, she laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

The Doctor kissed her shoulder and Rose giggled.

“I was lying on this the whole time.”

She held the tiny seashell in front of him. The Doctor propped himself up on his elbow and looked over her side, finger tracking the indent it left in her back.

He leaned over her and pressed his lips to her skin, right over the mark.

“There,” he said. “All better.”

They cuddled in the dim starlight until the waves reached their knees. Then they bundled up their belongings and went home, splashing sea water and glittering sand into the console room.

“No more beach holidays for us again, yeah?” Rose said later, snuggling against him in her bed.

The Doctor kissed her temple and tightened his arms around her.

“Fair enough. But we should make an effort to spend more time in the pool -- I can’t have seen the last of that bikini.”


End file.
